Latino Perspectives Magazine April 2012 by Latino Perspectives Magazine

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APRIL 2012

ARIZONA EDITION

Sustainability:

The key objective of a green economy opens the door to new careers Sure shot: the importance of a good vaccination plan

How seeds can help your springtime slim-down

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I thought I was healthy and fit. When I learned I had a two-inch hole in my heart, my world turned upside down. Today I’m training for a marathon. My answer was Mayo Clinic. Monica Harlow, Maricopa, AZ

Monica Harlow led an active life despite being born with a serious heart condition. When a checkup showed that she might need a transplant, she was referred to Mayo Clinic. Monica’s team was able to close the hole in her heart using her own natural tissue. Mayo Clinic is an in-network provider for millions of people. In most cases you don’t need a physician referral. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit www.mayoclinic.org/arizona or call 800-446-2279.

Journal of the American Latino Dream

Volume 8

{April 2012}

Issue 8

Future of green-tech in AZ

Assessing the state’s advantages in the race for green jobs

Good things in small packages A handful of seeds can yield big nutritional payoffs

7 8

From the editor Spring is here

¿Será posible?

Bad language ban proposed for Arizona educators; alcohol-laced “snack foods” compete with the cocktail

12 LP journal Book smuggling – one response to loss of ethnic studies programs; why Will Ferrell’s Casa de mi Padre may not resonate with Latinos; Romney’s non-policy on immigration

14 Glendale’s Vibe Jazz & Blues Festival; 72- and

26-mile routes offered in “El Tour de Mesa”; Salsa competition in Tempe; Paradise Valley’s Casa museo hosts tour-recital-supper event; Writer Tomas Rivera’a early life subject of new Childsplay production

19 Tania Rincón del arte 43 Education Radda’s whimsical world of woodturning NASA-funded “Calendar in the Sky” program 29 Movin’ up Third class of Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership

Fellows named; awards and honors pile up for Carl Hayden High’s robotics team; Daniel Garcia chosen as Phoenix’ new chief of police

aims to engage the public in space exploration, astronomy and other science topics

47 Vaccination: Health a life-long program of preventive medicine

33 “Miranda” Entrepreneur 53 P.S. creates her own destiny by creating Cuauhtémoc’s legendary resistance to Spanish images for others

Briefcase

Highlights from the yearly DATOS report from the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

41 Those who serve

Edward Munoz leaps from officer to chief of police in San Luis

domination

54 My perspective Monserrat Caballero on the normalcy and naturalness of sexuality

56 My perspective Richard Carmona on rebuilding America’s infrastructure of opportunity

Coming in May:

Celebrating latinopm.com

¡ April 2012!

mothers

Latino Perspectives Magazine

When pirouettes coincide with the cup,

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¡! from the executive editor

April 2012 Publisher/CEO Ricardo Torres Executive Editor/COO Cecilia Rosales, Ph.D. Copy Editor Virginia Betz Art Director Jorge Quintero Contributing Writers Catherine Anaya, Montserrat Caballero, Erica Cardenas, Richard H. Carmona, Gonzalo de la Melena, Michelle Gorman, Jonathan Higuera, Michelle Klinger, Bryan J. Mendez, Robrt L. Pela, Stella Pope Duarte Director of Sales and Marketing Carlos Jose Cuervo Advertising Account Executives Grace Alvarez and Barry Farber Webmaster QBCS Inc.

www.latinopm.com P.O. Box 2213 Litchfield Park, Az. 85340 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.

Spring into action By Cecilia Rosales, Ph.D.

April is a great time to enjoy the wildflowers and cactus blooms in

the region. State, regional and local parks, arboretums and gardens offer a unique opportunity to admire the beauty of the desert in full bloom. If you are unsure of where to go or what to look for, visit the State Parks Department’s website (azstateparks.com) to access the “2012 Rangers Cam” and discover what’s blooming near you. Another handy resource is the Desert Botanical Garden’s “Wildflower Infosite,” (dbg.org), where you can find an interactive map with seasonal reports and pictures of the springtime wildflower fest. With this backdrop, Earth Day 2012 (April 22) will hopefully serve its intended purpose of raising appreciation and awareness about our environment and natural resources and, more importantly, inspire us all to contribute to global sustainability. In this month’s cover story, Jonathan Higuera examines the green job economy in Arizona and the role of higher education in shaping a new generation of qualified professionals. While reports indicate that green jobs make up about 2.1 percent of the state’s 2.4 million jobs, there are reasons to be optimistic about the future. In an exciting development, just before press time, Arizona State University announced that the Rob and Melani Walton Fund of the Walton Family Foundation is donating $27.5 million to support the university’s Global Institute of Sustainability. For the next five years, this “Sustainability Solutions Fund” will support training and education of practitioners and youth, funding of high-impact ideas in sustainability research, the implementation of a global sustainability studies program and sustainability centers on three continents, and the creation of a fellowship program for sustainability scholars and practitioners. Congrats to my alma mater! April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sadly, every 13 seconds a child is abused, and someone is affected by sexual violence every 2.5 minutes. Join me in support of Arizona Children’s Association “Dine Out for Safety” on April 25th. Eat at participating restaurants (dineoutforsafety.org) and up to 20% of the proceeds will go to support services for children and families affected by violence and abuse.

Editorial mission statement

Latino Perspectives creates community, cultivates c u lt ural pr ide and provokes, challenges and connec ts L at inos who are def ining, pursuing, a nd ac h iev i n g t he A me r ic an L at i no D re a m .

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

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, P.O. Box 2213 Litchfield Park, Az. 85340. Or, email letters to editor@latinopm.com. latinopm.com

¡ April 2012!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡! ¿Será posible?

May contain adult language and content By Robrt Pela

This just in from the Only-in-Arizona

Department: Yet another bizarre (and, some are saying, utterly unconstitutional) piece of legislation has been introduced by Arizona senators. This one, Senate Bill 1467, would, if passed, require that all schools in Arizona, from preschools to state universities, punish educators who uttered any words not allowed on prime-time network television. No, seriously. What’s more, the bill suggests that any professor or fourth grade teacher who is reported for using profanity anywhere, even in the privacy of their own home, can be suspended or even terminated. The proposed law would essentially cripple most schools of higher learning.

blip!

How might a literature professor teach, for example, Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, with its various orgy scenes and other wild sex romps? Or, a theater instructor teach about the evolution of playwriting without covering the bluer comedies of David Mamet or a fellow named Will Shakespeare? Should this bill pass into law, would a film history professor be stuck teaching only the oeuvre of Walt Disney? According to the bill, teachers accused of infractions might, after the first occurrence, be suspended for a week

400 BC

1946

The term cancer originates.

3000 BC

Signs of cancer found on bones from ancient Egypt.

without pay. A second breach would result in a minimum of two weeks’ suspension, and a third would find the professor who dared to teach anything that CBS wouldn’t include in an episode of The Big Bang Theory terminated. Note to shop teachers: Don’t hit your thumb with a hammer.

Chemotherapy is developed.

1899

The X-ray revolutionizes tumor discovery.

¡! ¿Será posible?

Not your abuela’s otter pops Want to get loaded, but hate the

taste of hooch? No problem. This is the 21st century, where getting drunk no longer means having to trouble yourself with messy cocktails, especially if you live in the Valley of the Sun, apparently the best place to test-market new ways of imbibing for the rum-and-Coke set. Late last year, Phoenix became the first city in America where one might buy a popsicle laced with vodka or a carton of ice cream spiked with brandy. SnoBar, a new product line launched exclusively here by Santa Monica entrepreneur, Eddie Masjedi, offers an array of popsicles and ice creams crammed with booze. While SnoBar’s popsicle flavors include more adultflavored fare like Margaritas and Cosmopolitans, the ice cream line is strictly for kids, with flavors including Grasshopper, Pink Squirrel and Brandy Alexander. Each popsicle or serving of ice cream is equiva-

lent to a single cocktail of the same name. Available at Total Wine stores around the Valley, SnoBars come with disclaimers (“Not for children!”) printed right on the box. The packaging features brightly colored graphics that scream “Nine-year-old

girl!”, but at least there are no images of scantily-clad vixens gobbling up the product, as is the case with Pocket Chasers, an even newer product that is also designed to do away with the nasty taste of alcoholic beverages. A Pocket Chaser is a quick-dissolving gel strip that is meant to replace limes, which, if you believe the product’s ad campaign, are an enormous bother to cut into wedges or to have to suck on before, or after, a tequila shot. Designed, according to its press release, “especially for those with a sensitivity to high-proof liquor,” these little lime-, orange- and lemon-flavored strips come in convenient foil pouches printed with the helpful legend, “Strip It ’n’ Slam It!” Their active ingredients combine to keep the nasty taste of alcohol at bay. One can’t help but feel bad for all those tiny little umbrellas that will now go to waste.

The history of cancer meets a future of hope. Banner Health has teamed up with MD Anderson Cancer Center, ranked # 1 in cancer care by U.S.News and World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” survey, to open Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. We’re fighting cancer like never before with a powerful combination of groundbreaking treatments, revolutionary facilities, and the world-class exper tise of professionals like Medical Director, Edgardo Rivera, M.D. ( pictured here). It’s time to expect more in the battle against cancer. Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center – bringing new hope to cancer patients.

Call (480) 256-6444 to schedule an appointment.

2011 Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center opens in Arizona.

BannerMDAnderson.com Connect with us:

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American Cancer Society recommends mammograms.

Now Open at US 60 and Higley Road Facebook

Twi

Lee Ester Manager, Water Measurement

Water ManageMent. How do we estimate the amount of water available for the Valley each year? Teams of SRP water experts use the latest technology to monitor and measure our 13,000-square-mile watershed, which feeds into our reservoirs. In fact, SRP has been working to manage and conserve the Valley’s water for more than 100 years. This constant measuring of our rivers, lakes, dams, and canals allows SRP to better manage our water to ensure we meet demand – today and tomorrow. Learn more about the Valley’s water and find water-saving tips at togetherweconserve.com.

Conversation starters from the world around us

12 LP Journal

Librotraficantes subvert rulings on ethnic studies program; spoofing Mexican film genres; Romney rejects mass deportation of illegals

17 Anaya says 19 Rincón del arte

Running with the pack can lead you off the right track

Artist Tania Radda proves that fine art can be fun art

i say... I apologize to anyone offended by what one prominent black conservative called my ‘very practical and potentially life-saving campaign urging black and Hispanic parents not to let their children go around wearing hoodies.’

images courtesy of The Artist

Geraldo Rivera to Politico, regarding his comments on the case of slain Florida teen, Trayvon Martin

Rubio threw his lot in with the candidate who, on immigration, would be the most extreme presidential nominee of our time.

page

Tania Radda’s inventive vessel forms exemplify her virtuosity as a wood artist as well as her sense of humor. Top: Keeping Plentiful, 5 1/2 x 25 x 11 inches, carved, textured mixed woods; bottom: Who Came First?, 8 x 8 x 16 inches, turned, carved and textured mixed woods, assembled and colored with pencils and dye.

latinopm.com

Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox on Marco Rubio’s endorsement of GOP presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney

¡ April 2012!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡!

LP journal

Will Ferrell takes on Mexican genre films - with a vengeance

Muy blanco cinema It was only a matter of time before Mexican pop culture got its turn at being spoofed, Hollywood style. But who could have guessed that Tinseltown’s biggest, whitest, Big White Guy would be doing the spoofing? In Pantelion Films’ recently-released Casa de mi Padre, Will Ferrell sends up Mexican telenovelas, spaghetti Westerns and old-time Latino exploitation films in a single, 84-minute, loving homage. The film has received mixed reviews, in part because its best audience – the Latinos who will recognize most of the references to vintage Mexican Z-grade “shoot ’em ups” – haven’t gone looking for Casa. And while attendance by gringo movie nerds, who love jokes about cheap special effects and bad film editing, gave the picture its strong opening weekend, this crowd is probably missing most of the movie’s best oneliners. The film’s conceit is that it is a remake of a lousy movie that never actually existed. The story concerns Armando Alvarez, the dim-witted son of a rancher (played by the late Mexican actor, Pedro Armendrariz, Jr.) whose drug-dealing brother has just returned to the ranch from Mexico City. The brother’s flashy fiancée, played by 12

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡ April 2012!

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Genesis Rodriguez (a telenovela star of some renown, at least in Mexico), falls for Armando, just as a rival drug lord arrives at Dad’s ranch. As the “Latino with a heart of gold,” Ferrell speaks oddly impeccable Spanish and milks each filmic in-joke for everything it’s worth. The film scored low in its Los Angeles’ screenings with Latino audiences, because they probably care less about deliberately bad zoom shots and continuity errors than the average American moviegoer raised on decades of Hollywood insider spoofs. Critics have carped about the film’s one-joke take on Mexican cinema. “The film feels ultimately hollow, perhaps because mocking soap operas is the comic’s equivalent of shooting fish tacos in a barrel,” National Public Radio’s Andrew Lapin opined when the film opened.

Librotraficante, olé! Because Arizona apparently didn’t have enough to be ashamed of, the Tucson School Board ethnic studies scandal continues to grow. Several months after the Board suspended its Mexican American studies program rather than lose millions in state

funding, activists continue to keep the shameful story in the news by staging high-profile protests and strikes. The latest involves a protest in the form of book smuggling – novels and textbooks being secretly delivered to Tucson schools – the very same books by Mexican American, Chicano and other minority authors that were pulled from Tucson classrooms after the shocking January vote. “We wanted to hand these love letters in the form of books to these students,” Tony Diaz, a literature professor at Houston Community College, told the Los Angeles Times.

LP journal

Mitt, we hardly knew ye Grinding down President Obama’s popularity among Hispanic voters, many of them already discouraged by the president’s rigid deportation policies and his neglect of immigration reform, was supposed to be easy for the Republican Party. Then why is Obama’s support from Latino voters soaring these days? With only a half-year to go before the presidential election, the current president has surpassed the 67 percent support he received from the Latino community in 2008, thanks, in part, to a steaming pile of GOP rhetoric on immigration, delivered by Republican favorite, Mitt Romney. No one expected that Romney wouldn’t adopt Arizona’s controversial immigration laws; he is, after all, a conservative Republican. But, when Romney took on the controversial co-author of the bills, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, as a campaign consultant, almost all Latino bets were off.

In a recent Fox News poll of Latinos – whose vote could decide the outcome of a presidential election in Arizona, as well as in pivotal states such as Florida, Colorado and Nevada – 86 percent of all respondents favored Obama over Romney. That’s almost certainly because lately Romney has been quoting Kobach’s belief that Americans should make life so unpleasant for illegal immigrants, they’ll head back home rather than stay and face persecution. It is an approach, Romney has said, that is more humane than mass deportation. “We’re not going to round them up,” he said of immigrants at a Florida debate in February. “The tragic part about [his promotion of Kobach’s ideals] is that he’s done it to win over the very conservative,” says Ana Navarro, a Republican Party operative and friend of Romney’s, “and they still aren’t supporting him.” Romney’s defense of his adoption of Kobach’s views is that illegal immigration must be addressed at a federal level, and not by the standards set by politicians currently running for office. How that might dovetail with his promise to veto the Dream Act is anyone’s guess.

Glendale, moving forward Late last month, Glendale mayor Elaine Scruggs announced that she is not seeking re-election. That must have been music to the ears of the three registered candidates vying for Scruggs’ post: republicans Walt Opaska (physicist, practicing attorney and self-described “leader in the conservative movement in Arizona”) and State Representative Jerry Weiers (District 12); and democrat Manuel “Manny” Cruz. Cruz, who announced his candidacy back in February of this year, is a fourthgeneration Arizonan. Although he has never held public office, he is not new to the political arena. He ran an unsuccessful bid for State Mine Inspector in 2010,

but kept his campaign promise to work on raising awareness about the dangers of abandoned mines throughout the state. In 2011, he formed the nonprofit, Abandoned Mine Safety Organization; he serves as its executive director. LPM asked Cruz about the specifics of his plan to “ ‘Move Glendale Forward’ and build a more diverse economic base.” In a statement issued by his campaign, he outlined the following points: “I intend to make a priority of seeking out new businesses that will manufacture goods in Glendale. We should also be seeking out innovative, high-tech manufacturing as the jobs coming with those companies are generally well paying with excellent benefits. “It is clear we must wean ourselves off relying so heavily on sales tax revenues that are under constant threat of reduction by an unfriendly state legislature. “We should also work toward encouraging Glendale residents, current and future businesses, and the City of Glendale to shop local, thereby putting dollars back to work in Glendale. “Let us not forget the wealth of economic and other planning knowledge available through the higher education campuses in Glendale and nearby. Better information means better decisions.”

Photo courtesy of Cruz for Glendale

“We’re defending our culture and freedom of speech.” The Board claims that it acted under duress, with more than $14 million in state aid at stake. The state’s chief of education, Tom Horne, ruled in 2006 that the district was in violation of a law banning classes designed for a particular ethnic group, because they “promote resentment toward a race or class of people” and, most shockingly, “promote the overthrow of the U.S. government.” The board appealed and lost, after which Diaz, who led the latest protest, began smuggling books into Tucson schools as a librotraficante – a term he coined to describe his and the authors’ attempts to sneak Latino-specific books into Tucson schools. “The word, librotraficante, shouldn’t exist in America,” Diaz told the Times. “You shouldn’t have to smuggle books.”

¡!

Manuel Cruz latinopm.com

¡ April 2012!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡!

vibe

Glendale jazz

El Tour de Mesa

The City of Glendale’s 29th Annual Jazz and Blues

How does an April outdoor bike ride sound? Open

Festival will feature an impressive line-up of local, regional and national entertainment in the historic downtown, April 14 and 15. Glendale’s longest-running festival, the event will also feature an eclectic mix of artists working in a variety of media. Artists will work on-site, giving event attendees an interactive, one-of-a-kind experience to add to the musical performances. The festival will run from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 15. Admission is free. Historic downtown Glendale is located at 58th and Glendale Avenues. For more information, call the city of Glendale’s special event hotline at 623-930-2299.

to all ages and abilities, the 22nd Annual “El Tour de Mesa” kicks off on Saturday, April 14, and offers 74- and 26-mile courses, all routed through Mesa and beginning at Red Mountain Park in Mesa. Routes extend into the beautiful and rugged Salt River Recreation Area and Tonto National Forest. The 72-mile event is a perimeter ride around Red Mountain and the 26-mile course feeds onto the main route. Both courses feature an approximately three-mile climb as participants approach the final leg of the route. Additional ride and registration information can be found at perimeterbicycling.com.

Get more Vibe at www.latinopm.com

Casa museo Featuring more than 1,000 works of art from

six continents, this Paradise Valley home will awaken your passion for art. Spanning more than 5,000 years of human creativity, the collection’s highlights include objects from the Chinese Neolithic, Tibetan religious art, Oaxacan wood carvings and art from other traditional cultures. From their world travels, the tour’s hosts have amassed an award-winning collection of photographs, examples of which have been featured in galleries and national publications. A recital by Phoenix Orchestra musicians will be followed by a buffet supper on Friday, April 20, at 6 p.m. in Paradise Valley. Cost is $150 per person and is limited to 40 guests. Tickets may be purchased at phoenixsymphony.org.

Latino Perspectives Magazine

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high-flying! â&#x20AC;&#x153;high-octane, high-flying, pelvis-swiveling choreographyâ&#x20AC;? The New York Times

DanceBrazil Thursday, April 26, 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 27, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $39 DanceBrazil has thrilled audiences around the globe with its dazzling artistry and unique fusion of Afro-Brazilian movement, dance and Capoeira.

order your tickets today! ING HIGH-FLY

call click visit

480-499-TKTS (8587) ScottsdalePerformingArts.org 7380 E. Second St.

sneak-peek video

¡!

Pocho keen

vibe

Like peachy keen, pero different My car no va! When I was in college, there was

Time to make salsa! The 28th Annual “My Nana’s Best

Tasting Salsa Challenge” is a culinary event featuring restaurants, businesses and individuals competing to make the best salsa in their category. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, April 28, at Tempe Beach Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Over 80 competitors prepare fresh salsa on-site in either the mild or hot category. The grand champion will win a $1,000 cash prize and attendees can vote for their favorite with dollars through the People’s Choice Awards. More than 20,000 people are expected to come and taste more than 100 homemade salsas, listen to live music, enjoy a variety of food and drinks and vote for their favorite salsa chef. Tickets are $10 at the gate and children under 12 attend free. Discounted tickets may be purchased in advance for just $8 at any Valley Fry’s or Fry’s Marketplace. Funds raised through the event will benefit the Arizona Hemophilia Association, a nonprofit organization that serves the individuals and families affected by bleeding disorders. The organization serves the community with a variety of services, programming, counseling and children’s activities such as Camp Honor, held each summer in Prescott. 16

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡ April 2012!

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a story that kept popping up in my marketing classes as a cautionary tale about how things can get lost in translation. As the story goes, GM once exported a car to Latin America called a Nova. It was a popular Chevy brand in the U.S., so why not take it down south? They must have thought they’d capture a large new market. I imagined them in the branding meetings: “We’ll just keep the name, Nova. The Mexicans and Brazilians will love it! They love America!” OK, so maybe those weren’t their exact thoughts and sentiments, but GM surely didn’t have a bilingual person on their marketing staff to let them know that, perhaps, it wasn’t the best idea to give a car a name that means “no go” in Spanish. The car allegedly did so poorly they had to change its name. The story went down in marketing history as an example of one of the biggest blunders ever. Or was it? A little research online reveals that maybe the execs in Detroit had been aware all along of the potential pitfalls, but went with the name, Nova, anyway; and, the car did sell well in some Spanishspeaking countries. It was a gamble that apparently paid off, even if many wondered in retrospect what the heck they were thinking at the time.

Fast forward to now and you can find plenty of examples of products that make many Latinos scratch their heads and wonder. In the aisles of Food City, you just might hear someone asking “como que tiene clamato already?” Or, in amazement, exclaiming “nunca tengo que comprar limones again!” They would, of course, be holding one of two Budweiser beers: one that comes with a hint of lime and the other with ingredients to make a michelada. Go down another aisle and you’ll find Flaming Hot Cheetos and Spicy Nacho Cheese Doritos. Everyone knows we spice up our cheesy snacks, and that we might be lazy enough to buy something that is already prepared for us. Genius! The other night, I was on a late night Taco Bell run and, just as I was about to order a Mexican Pizza (go figure), I found myself staring at a picture of the new Doritos Taco Loco. Yes, only a taco wrapped in a custom Doritos Nacho Cheese tortilla chip can be called a crazy taco. I almost ordered it after staring at it in a daze, just to see what it tasted like. But, when I heard a voice repeatedly say, “sir, can I take your order?,” I came to my senses. Yes, I love to dip my Nacho Cheese-flavored tortilla chips in my beans and ground beef, but I want to do it with my own hands and in the privacy of my own home.

vibe

¡!

Anaya says Photo Courtesy of Childsplay

Pursuing the positive By Catherine Anaya

I was honored when THE folks

Elizabeth Polen and Adrian Hernandez star in Childsplay’s Tomás and the Library Lady.

On stage now: Tomás and the Library Lady Childsplay’s Tomás and the Library

Lady brings to life the childhood story of famed Chicano writer, Tomás Rivera. Based on the book by Pat Mora, and written by playwright José Cruz Gonzáles, the play is a celebration of reading, imagination and creativity. Growing up in a poor, migrant farm-worker family, Tomás’ world is changed forever when he meets and befriends a librarian. Once the inquisitive young boy is introduced to the world of books, “nothing is ever the same again.” Childsplay’s production is directed by David Saar; it stars Adrian Hernandez as Tomás and Liz Polen as the Library Lady. Performances: Saturdays and Sundays, April 7 through 14 at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. and April 15 at 1:00 p.m. only, at the Tempe Center for the Arts Studio, 700 Rio Salado Parkway. Tickets are $12 – $25, available at childsplayaz.org. The play is recommended for ages five and up. In 1979, Rivera became the youngest and the first person of color to serve as Chancellor of the University of California at Riverside. After his death in 1984, the University’s library was named after him. His novel, Y no se lo Tragó la Tierra (translated as And the Earth did Not Part, or And the Earth Did not Devour Him), gained him international attention and critical acclaim.

behind “Lift Up America” asked me to speak recently at an event for at-risk youth in Arizona. They positioned me between two quite fascinating stories. Henry Cejudo, the Valley wrestler who went on to win Olympic gold spoke before me. He told his powerful story of growing up the son of an abusive, alcoholic father and an undocumented immigrant mother who struggled to support six children. He reminded students to never give up on their dreams. Kenny Dobbs, an NBA/Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown Champion, who also lives in the Valley, spoke after me. He talked about growing up around drugs and serving time in prison. He wanted the kids to know it is never too late to turn your life around. I was asked to talk about the power of surrounding yourself with positive people. So I told them about making a life-changing decision at a very young age. I was about 13 years old when I decided that I did not want to run with the group of girls who spent a lot of time fighting, ditching school and sporting hickies on their necks. I wanted to be among the group of girls who appeared to have fun challenging each other to get good grades. The first group of girls felt that, as a Latina, I should run with them, so they started following me home from school every day wanting to “jump me.” My mother stepped in and told the school about it. The principal let me leave

school 10 minutes early each day, but the situation soon became unbearable. In the middle of my eighth-grade year, I asked my mom to transfer me to another school. It was a big decision not to graduate middle school with my friends. But, I realized even bigger challenges were ahead if I went to the designated high school where I lived. I knew that if I attended that school, I would never truly excel in the way I wanted to. So I asked my mother to enroll me at another high school in another city. It meant knowing no one and catching a 6 a.m. city bus each day to get to school. But I did it. It was a big decision for a young girl to make, but I knew even then that surrounding myself with negative influences would only hold me down. I needed to surround myself with people who, like me, wanted to set goals and challenge themselves to a better future. I do not share this story often. But, after hearing the small gasps and looks of shock on the faces of some students, I think it made an impact. We are never too young to make big decisions about the influences we surround ourselves with – decisions that can make all the difference in how our futures play out. Catherine Anaya anchors CBS 5 News weeknights at 5, 5:30, 6 & 10pm. She is a mother of two, marathon runner and motivational speaker. Reach her at canaya@kpho.com, connect with her on Facebook, twitter and at CatherineAnaya.com.

latinopm.com

¡ April 2012!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

rincón del arte

¡!

Admirer of the absurd Tania Radda, wood artist Originally from:

Brazil, but living in Arizona since 1994

Education:

I have a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from Arizona State University in Wood Sculpture and a Bachelors in Fine Arts in Sculpture from ASU.

Background:

I enjoyed the cartoonish quality of many sculptures and paintings I saw and started drawing cartoon figures at a very young age. It was easy to transition into sculpture and to incorporate fun and cartoon into the work.

Professional activities: I have a full-time studio. I produce my own work for galleries, commissions and national and international competitions. I also teach my craft to other wood artists and I am heavily involved with the woodturning community. I travel around the country teaching workshops to woodturning clubs and participating in symposia. Résumé highlights: I received the Purchase Award (one of the Governor’s Annual Awards for the Arts) and was a Niche Award finalist for six years in a row, including this year. I was also the recipient of a Purchase Award from the Slugger Museum in Louisville, Kentucky. I have had work featured in books, Teapots Makers and Collectors, by Dona Z. Meilach, andWood Art Today 2, published by Schiffer Books, and in Phoenix Home and Garden magazine. I have work in the permanent collections of museums and prominent private collections. Art genre/style:

Eclectic: fantasy, surrealism, realism and

naturalism Wood

Photos courtesy of the artist

Medium of choice:

Favorite works of art:

Claes Oldenburg’s sculptures – all of them, and Ron Mueck’s absurd interpretations of people.

Current projects/exhibits:

I’m working on a piece for a fundraising exhibit entitled Beyond Containment, for the Outreach Program of the American Association of Woodturners. I currently have work on display at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport for their Arizona Centennial show, Arizona’s Valentine, and two pieces in Terminal 3. I am also showing at the Shemer Art Center in Phoenix.

From top to bottom: Blue Blossoms, 6x6x7in., basswood & maple, turned and carved, airbrushed with automotive paint; Oriental Tea, 7x9x16 in., basswood & maple, turned, carved and textured. Spring Training, 8x7x4 in., basswood & maple, turned and carved, airbrushed with automotive paint, found object (mitt) added.

Website:

taniaradda.com

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

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Sustainability: The key objective of a green economy opens the door to new careers uera

an J. Hig

By Jonath

s the state’s economy struggles to regain momentum to prerecession levels, a question on many people’s minds is whether green jobs will play a significant role in the preservation of middle-class jobs. Certainly the rhetoric about the potential for clean-related job creation has been reinforced at the highest levels. From President Obama to local economic development officials, the talk about a new job machine based on sustainable products and services has been hot and heavy. Yet, the current debate over green jobs has “frequently been short on facts and long on speculation, assertion and partisanship,” according to the Brookings Institution, which last year released a groundbreaking report on the depth and size and of the green economy in the U.S. But the facts are coming into view. According to a report that largely mirrors the Brookings report, the U.S. Department of Labor last month revealed that the green economy represents a modest, but growing, latinopm.com

¡ April 2012!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

piece of the overall economy. Estimates are that green jobs made up about 2.4 percent of all jobs, or 3.1 million jobs. This is more jobs than in the fossil fuels and bioscience sectors, but far less than in the health care industry. Arizona’s portion of those jobs was about 49,717, making up about 2.1 percent of the state’s 2.4 million jobs. That puts Arizona in the lower middle portion when ranked among all states, behind such giants as California (338,400 green jobs), New York (248,500), Texas (229,700), Pennsylvania (182,200), Illinois (139,800) and Ohio (126,900). Because the report only captured output, which means it tracked jobs related to making and delivering green products and services, it likely didn’t capture the cottage industries that have arisen around the environmental movement. However, it does provide a snapshot and benchmark that the nation can now use to track the industry’s growth, and provides a workable definition of what constitutes a green job. In the Brookings –David report, which analyzed green jobs from 2003 to 2010 in every state and in the top 100 metro areas, the Phoenix metro area ranked 32nd among the top 100 metro areas based on the number of clean-tech jobs, and 54th when it ranked the number of clean-tech jobs as a share of total employment. The sector grew 2.5 percent from 2003 to 2010. One possible explanation for why Arizona lags is that manufacturing has the greatest number of green goods and services jobs. And, while Arizona has had a decent manufacturing base in aerospace and defense, it is nowhere near the behemoth that some Midwestern and East Coast states are, nor is it as large as California and Texas. Examples of these green

and development, as has job worker training to help prepare for the anticipated growth. At Arizona State University’s School of Global Sustainability, established in 2007, a strong talent pool of professors and staff with cutting-edge knowledge of sustainability issues has been assembled. They, in turn, are teaching and training students about how to address the pressing environmental, economic and social challenges that sustainability incurs, especially as it relates to urban areas. The interaction of higher education with research and development is exactly the formula that has aided the creation of great industries. Think Internet technology here. When you add in Arizona’s natural advantage in the solar energy field, one can see why the state believes it has what it takes to be a global competitor. Solar may be the most frequently mentioned renewable energy source for our state, but it certainly is not the only Schmidly, president of the University of New Mexico area ripe for exploration. ASU’s R&D efforts in tration of sun in the U.S. In its marketing nanotechnology could also yield some materials to outside companies, the Greatsurprising breakthroughs. For example, er Phoenix Economic Council touts the the use of nano-particles in windows could metro area’s strong local demand for solar conceivably lead to products that are not panels and close proximity to California. presently on the radar. It could lead to The state has the country’s third highest windows that let more light in during the number of jobs in the solar industry. But, winter and repel more light during the hot those marketing come-ons aside, the state summer months. is in a global race when it comes to solar production. Currently, Arizona trails Germany and Spain in its production of solar panels and ancillary equipment. However, the state has several factors in its favor when it comes to the global race for green tech jobs: higher education has stepped up in the areas of research manufacturing jobs include iron and steel from recycled inputs, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment meeting certain standards, hybrid cars and parts, and pollution mitigation equipment. One opportunity for Arizona could be in the construction sector of the green industry. Construction-related green jobs accounted for nearly 7 percent of all green jobs. The green jobs associated with this industry include weatherization, solar installation and other retrofitting projects to reduce household energy consumption. In the Grand Canyon state, there is a consensus that we should be a leading producer in solar production and installation. Yet, getting there won’t happen just because the state has the highest concen-

“We have found that sustainability is useful, not only for teaching a new paradigm to be a better citizen, but we have also found that sustainability is good business”

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Green politics, too

“We’re at the tip of the iceberg,” says Nicole Darnall, an associate professor at ASU’s School of Sustainability. “You can look at it as a glass half empty, which is that the state is not doing as much as it should, or as a glass half full, which is that there are incredible things we could be doing.” Part of her mission is to teach her students to think about developing a new generation of products that are not yet on the drawing board. “We ask our students to think about products that haven’t been discovered yet, and innovations that need to happen to make it happen,” she says. “Our president, Michael Crow, has indicated this is a major area we will put resources into. Green tech, green products are largely unrealized, and ASU wants to change our role in that.” In March, the School of Sustainability hosted a symposium that focused on what higher education can do to spur greater innovation, while lowering its own carbon footprint. The gathering brought together college presidents from various schools, including the University of New Mexico, Northern Arizona University, the University of Ari-

zona and Scottsdale Community College. “We have found that sustainability is useful, not only for teaching a new paradigm to be a better citizen, but we have also found that sustainability is good business,” said David Schmidly, president of the University of New Mexico during a panel featuring university and college presidents. “It is a good way to contain costs and save money.” While green initiatives are driving growth and innovation, some experts maintain that marketing and policy challenges are preventing them from reaching their full potential. Barriers include policies that undercut market demand, insufficient support for innovation and a shortage of financing, even for proven projects, which, in turn, leads to investor uncertainty. “Individuals do realize that our environment is changing in a variety of ways, but they don’t know how to change their lifestyles in a way that is meaningful,” says Darnall. “We spend more time debating whether there even is a problem.” If the green sector continues its growth – and all indications are that it will – then the need for workers trained for those jobs becomes key. At Maricopa County Community Colleges, job training efforts for these fields are already in motion.

With an eye on the upcoming United Nations’ 20th annual Conference on Sustainable Development, a senior sustainability scholar at Arizona State University has joined 32 social scientists and researchers from around the world to call for fundamental reforms in global environmental governance to avoid calamitous changes in the earth’s ecosystem. In the March 16 edition of the journal Science, scientists argued that the earth is nearing critical tipping points, particularly with respect to climate and biodiversity. And, if certain policies and governance issues are not addressed, rapid and irreversible change could result. To keep governing institutions accountable to the public, the scientists called for stronger consultative rights for representatives of civil society, including representatives from developing countries and indigenous peoples, non-governmental organizations and consumers. “We should seek input from people closest to the ground, not just from the elites, not just at the 30,000-feet level,” noted Kenneth W. Abbott, a professor of international relations in ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. “Consultations should take place not only at the global scale where the broadest policies are created, but also at the local scale – all scales,” he said. In June, the UN Conference, also known as the “Rio +20 Conference,” will mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Conference goals will be to help countries and communities move towards a green economy by ending poverty, advancing social equity and promoting environmental protection. More than 1,000 voluntary, concrete and measurable commitments on sustainable development are expected to be reached.

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¡ April 2012!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

The Environmental and Natural Resource Stewardship Program at Phoenix College gives students a chance to enhance their critical thinking and team-building skills while developing highly transferable knowledge and analytical skills in the area of environmental and natural resource stewardship. The program is currently funded, in part, by a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. By working closely with professionals, a curriculum was developed that consists of five core courses and one elective course that provide students with a well-rounded, interdisciplinary program of study. The certificate courses were chosen to maximize the student’s transfer options. Additionally, several organizations are providing internship and employment opportunities for students. “It’s not just about specific skills allowing one to jump in and work on a problem, but about a broader understanding of the nature of the problems,” says Steve Thorpe, the Phoenix College faculty member who directs the Environmental and Natural Resource Stewardship Program. “We need people from many backgrounds because the prob-

lems are multidimensional. The programs are for people looking for long-term career opportunities as opposed to dead-end summer internships,” says Thorpe. Chandler-Gilbert Community College offers a certificate in environmental literacy to students. But not all “green collar” jobs require a college-level education. Some are wellpaid, low-skill jobs said to be leaving the United States, as the Brookings study suggests. These jobs are manufacturing-heavy, export-driven and represent a substantial source of growth. The Brookings report contained some surprising results. For example, AlbanySchenectady, New York, emerged as the metropolitan region with the highest percentage of green jobs and has the fifth-fastest growing green economy in the nation. This was due, in large part, to initiatives from General Electric to create and locate innovative battery factories and other green projects there. One of the greatest challenges facing the growth and development of the green economy is financing companies with promising, patented ideas so that they can scale up.

Green jobs involve a broad array of skills As the concept of “sustainability” is better understood and appreciated both here and abroad, an ever-increasing number of environmental jobs are emerging. As resources and energy become more scarce and expensive, say job developers, the goals of sustainability will provide opportunities for entirely new career paths. An environmental career often requires a college degree in the field. Those degrees focus on the integration of the environment, the economy and the social system into a healthy, viable whole. Sustainability is a key objective for many industries, such as computer networking and system technology, communications, energy, environmental management, architecture, engineering, planning, design, construction, media, marketing, parks and recreation, horticulture, agriculture, hospitality, travel and tourism, transportation and more.

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While more green jobs were created in the private sector than in the public sector, the latter plays an important role in greensector employment. Among the public sector entities, none had a greater portion of jobs than local governments, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report. A good example of that is the City of Phoenix’ Brownfields program. In 2007, Phoenix organized a four-month Environmental Technician Job Training Program for residents in the West Phoenix Revitalization Area. The program was funded with a $200,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant and in-kind contributions. Eighteen individuals completed the program and received three key environmental certifications that enable graduates to seek entry-level positions with environmental firms, private water companies or municipalities. Job placement assistance, including a job fair with 20 participating companies, was provided for the graduates. Another potential shot in the arm to the green economy is President Obama’s American Jobs Act. It proposes a $25 billion investment to modernize at least 35,000 public schools across the country, including energy efficiency upgrades, which would increase the number of green-related jobs. As the concept of sustainability evolves, and the focus shifts from solely operational concerns – reducing energy consumption, waste and the carbon footprint more generally – to the more strategic stance of promoting innovation and initiatives that apply to the entire supply chain, businesses are moving beyond simply asking how they can turn a profit. They now want to minimize their impact as well. Indeed, many businesses are using the “triple bottom line” as the yardstick to gauge success. This refers to giving equal weight to measures of social well-being, economic prosperity and environmental quality as guideposts to good business practice.

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Achieving great things for our community

When a group of people comes along who have the vision to turn dreams into reality, they make the future bright for everyone. Congratulations to the 2012 Arizona Latina Trailblazer award winners: Amanda Aguirre, Anna Maria Chavez, Elizabeth Archuleta, and Terri Cruz. We enjoyed celebrating your courage, hope and determination.

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RAUL H. CASTRO I N S T I T U T E

O F

By Michelle Klinger

As Arizona celebrates its Centennial year, community

as president/CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA in its 100-year history. The celebration served as a backdrop for the presentation of a booklet and digital stories highlighting key aspects of the women’s lives. Kathleen Mascareñas, media relations specialist for SRP, served as the event’s emcee. Each guest at the event received a copy of Arizona Latina Trailblazers: Stories of Courage, Hope and Determination: Volume IV, by Jean Reynolds. Thanks to the support of the event’s sponsors, copies also will be distributed to all public libraries in the state.

Photo credits: Alfredo Hernandez and Phil Munroe

members gathered to celebrate four women at the fourth annual Arizona Latina Trailblazers event, March 28, 2012, at the Phoenix Art Museum. Cheers, applause and tears greeted the stories of Amanda Aguirre, the first Latina to represent the Yuma area in the state legislature in over 130 years; Liz Archuleta, who became the first Latina elected to the Coconino County Board of Supervisors in 120 years; Terri Cruz, who is recognized as the “mother” of Chicanos por la Causa; and Anna Maria Chávez, the first Hispanic woman to serve

Latino Perspectives Magazine

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Thank you to our sponsors

Community partnerS

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For 160 years we’ve helped customers reach their goals, and we’ll continue to be by your side for the next 160 As we reach our 160-year anniversary, we are proud to celebrate the progress we’ve made together and look forward to serving the community for many more years to come. Because giving back to our community has always been an important part of who we are, Wells Fargo will be giving a total of $2.5 million to charities nationwide plus building and renovating 160 homes in 160 days. We’ve seen a lot of change over the years but the one constant throughout is our dedication to serving the needs of our communities. For more information, go to wellsfargo.com/anniversary

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33 Entrepreneur Disabled vet creates own media production company

35 Briefcase

The AZHCC reports the rising impact of the Hispanic community on the state’s economy

Movin’ Up Flinn-Brown Fellows announced

Photo Courtesy of John Garcia

The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership released the names of 25 individuals selected as the third class of Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Fellows. Among them are: Carl Zaragoza, Leadership for Educational Equality; Gabriele Silva, Arizona-Mexico Commission; John W. Molina, Phoenix Indian Medical Center; Sylvia Mejia, Rodel Charitable Foundation; David Longoria, Pima County Administrator’s Office; Deborah Gonzalez, ASU Preparatory Academy; John Garcia, Arizona College Access Network; and Patrick Camuñez, Arizona National Guard. The group will participate in a 12-session seminar series on critical issues facing Arizona, receive advisement and mentorship from leaders in the private or public sector, and interact with an alumni network. In addition, participants are expected to prepare an individual plan for civic leadership.

John Garcia, of the Arizona College Access Network, is one of 25 new Flinn-Brown Civic Leadership Fellows

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¡ April 2012!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡!

movin’ up

Efrain Morales

Morales joins Azteca America-Phoenix Efrain Morales has been named Azteca America-Phoenix’s (KPDF channel 41) new general manager. Prior to joining channel 41, Morales worked as director of Hispanic marketing and advertising at Larry John Wright, Inc., a marketing, advertising and PR firm.

chairman of the board is Eric Rodriguez, Intel Corporation; vice-chair, Don Jensen-Bobadilla, Maricopa County Community Colleges; secretary, Liana Ramirez, Henkel Consumer Goods; and treasurer, Dan Hernandez, SCF Arizona. Directorsat-large: Sophie Bejarano, Chase Bank; Laura Quiñones, Salt River Project; and Robert Hernandez, Pan-American Charter School. In addition, the nonprofit added four new members to its advisory council: Kristofer Rodriguez, Salt River Project; Misty Cisneros-Contreras, City of Phoenix; Erika Castro, Salt River Project; and Luis Castro, Keller Electrical.

Aguila elects new board The nonprofit Aguila Youth Leadership Institute elected new board officers and directors-at-large. The new

One Arizona taps de la Vara Earlier this year, Leticia de la Vara joined One Arizona as table director. One Arizona is a coalition of nonprofits dedicated to educate and motivate the Latino electorate and increase civic engagement in the community. De la Vara’s previous work experience in the nonprofit sector includes working as the Arizona Liaison for the National Council of la Raza.

Erica Gonzalez-Melendez

Los Abogados present awards Los Abogados Hispanic Bar Association recognized the work of community leaders at a gala fundraiser last month. Attorney Antonio Bustamante was presented with the Association’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award, Erica Gonzalez-Melendez received the Emerging Leader Award and Clarissa Cerda was recognized with the Community Service

The Carl Hayden High School Falcon Robotics team won the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Arizona Regional Robotics Competition last month. The team will now compete at the International FIRST Competition in St. Louis, Mo., later this month. The team also received the Industrial Safety Award from Underwriters Laboratories for having the best run robot pit, and the Innovation in Control Award from Motorola. Falcon team member, John Rangel, won the Dean’s List award and is a contender for the national award. The members of the robotics team are: Joach Avitia, Elizabeth Perez, Isabel Martinez, Carlos Ruvio, Ulises Barraza, Martin Carranza, Sergio Corral, Daisy Fernandez, Dillon Dayea, Jesus Meraz, Maria Castro, Bianca Rodriguez, John Rangel, Isela Mar-

Movin’ Up Know someone who has been promoted, elected or honored? Send us the news of their achievements! Email movinup@latinopm.com 30

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¡ April 2012!

tinez, Jorge Tay, Quenan Aaron Ruiz, Diserae Sanders, Dalton Dayea, Jesus Parra, Elizar Diaz, Cruz Garcia, and Staphany Ramirez. The group named their robot “Angelica’s Dream” to honor Angelica Hernandez, an alumna of the program and Dream Act advocate, who is now a mechanical engineer. She graduated as the Outstanding Engineering Student at ASU last year.

Carl Hayden robotics team wins award

City of Phoenix names new police chief After a nationwide search, Phoenix City Manager, David Cavazos, named Daniel V. Garcia as the city’s new police chief. Garcia served for over three decades in the Dallas Police Department, most recently as assistant police chief. Garcia, who will begin his new assignment in May of this year, holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Sam Houston State University, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and Police Executive Research Forum.

Award. Los Abogados are a nonprofit organization devoted to advancing the quality of legal services provided to the Latino community.

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Linda Lujan

Chandler educators receive awards On March 31st, eight Chandler educators and administrators were honored at the 12th Annual Cesar Chavez Recognition and Educator of the Year Awards. The fundraising event benefited the nonprofit Sí se puede Foundation. This year’s honorees are: Rose Marie Bogue, Galveston Elementary School; Geri Jaramillo, Chandler High School; Dawn Koberstein, Chandler Unified School District; Diane Lundahl, Hamilton High School; Veronica Rico, Sylvia Encinas Elementary; Angelica Rivas, Erie Elementary; Camille Casteel, Chandler Unified School District; and Linda Lujan, Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

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Getting out the message

Anita Miranda (a.k.a. “Miranda”), founder & creative director of Miranda’s Creatives, LLC Elevator pitch: Miranda’s Creatives is a media production company. We bring our clients’ products and services to life with quality and affordable video productions that deliver results. For parties and corporate events, we offer a “Red Carpet Extravaganza” and paparazzi services to provide our clients with the look and feel of Hollywood. Education:

Bachelor’s in Business, Master’s in Education, Guthrie Job Corps Graduate, IBI Graduate and Landmark Graduate

What prompted you to start your own business? As a disabled Navy veteran, I wanted to pay it forward by becoming a mentor to those who were being challenged by everyday life struggles, providing on-thejob training for those unemployed or underemployed, and inspiring them not to give up. It would have been easy to let insecurity, hard knocks and past life experiences defeat me. I went from a ward of the state to serving in the Navy; then I made a choice to earn a master’s degree and be the creator of my own destiny and formed Miranda’s Creatives, LLC.

How do you remain competitive? We help those who are camera shy or tongue tied to send their message. By providing a step-by-step system of script writing, wardrobe, make-up artistry, green-screen virtual sets, teleprompter and staging, we make our clients shine. Our director, Carrie Brooks, worked for over 15 years with local TV. We make commercial flair affordable.

Most challenging aspect of being a business owner: No paid holidays, and the buck stops – here!

Best advice you received:

Company you admire most:

Mike Madden’s Cookies In Bloom and Hannah’s Caramel Apples in Phoenix. Not only does Mike deliver a superb product as a franchisee, he recreated himself with his caramel business. He is always smiling, friendly, and a great philanthropist.

An experience that has inspired you: The College Board CLEP – when I was a single parent, on welfare, and earning my first degree, I learned from this program that there is not just one way of doing things. Research, ask questions, challenge the system and know when to step out of your own way.

“Pay it forward” and “Just because you are disabled does not mean you are dead.”

Advice to others about starting a business: Find someone to emulate. Ask for help.

If you could do it all over again, what you would do differently? Invest

Start with a business plan, no matter how simple, and keep striving for your dream. Someone needs what you have to offer. Don’t give up. Appreciate your support system. And most of all … have fun!

more capital in software and hardware from the beginning, instead of trying to use personal laptops. Try rendering HD videos on a laptop!

Website:

AnitaMiranda.com

Suggest an entrepreneur Send your information to editor@latinopm.com.

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¡!

It’s all about the numbers By Gonzalo de la Melena

They say, “The numbers don’t lie.”

Likewise, if you really want to know the truth about how the Latino community is impacting the state’s economy, check out the numbers. On May 4, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (AZHCC) releases its 16th Annual DATOS: Focus on the Hispanic Market, a far-reaching report on the ever-growing effects of the state’s burgeoning Hispanic population. The report will be released during the Chamber’s first ever, two-day business symposium called “Transforming Arizona’s Economy” at the Phoenix Convention Center. The agenda also includes a free series of small business workshops and a community town hall featuring a debate between the top contenders in the 2012 U.S. Senate race. On Saturday, May 5, the AZHCC hosts its 54th Annual Black & White Ball and Business Awards. (Details at azhcc.com) One expert observer has described the new data in this year’s DATOS report (much of it based on the latest U.S. Census figures) as nothing less than “astounding.” I agree. Here are some of the highlights that caught my eye: Arizona is now home to 60,000-plus Latino-owned businesses. More than a third are Latina-owned and onethird are immigrant-owned. Latinos are now the majority in our state’s public schools, a clear indicator of the demographic changes to come. (Demographers estimate Latinos will be the State majority by 2030 or sooner.) Arizona Latinos account for $40 billion in consumer spending annually and nationwide our buying power is $1.2 trillion. In 2012, a record number of Arizona Latinos will be registered to vote (an estimated 480,000), and, thanks to the efforts of grassroots voter-registration organizations, Latino voter turnout could also reach historic levels. DATOS is chock full of a wide range of equally impressive data, but what the numbers show overall is that we are now an economic force to be reckoned with, and we will be an influential force for decades to come. The recession hit our community hard. And overly punitive immigration legislation did great harm to to the brand of Arizona. That’s undeniable. What is also undeniable is that our community will not be defeated. The Department of Homeland Security estimates that 240,000 undocumented immigrants left Arizona in the pe-

riod leading up to 2010, most probably as a result of the effects of the recession and stepped-up immigration enforcement. Sadly, many of those immigrants likely left with U.S.-born children, spouses and other relatives who were citizens or legal residents – taking with them, meanwhile, untold millions in contributions to our state’s tax coffers. Yet, despite that exodus, Arizona’s Hispanic population grew by 48 percent between 2000 and 2010, and estimates are that it will grow another 50 percent by 2020. Ultimately, I believe, Arizona will continue as an “opportunity oasis” for migrants, Latino and non-Latino, from across the nation and the world, because the opportunities for Hispanics and other minority communities are growing. Phoenix and Tucson already are minority-majority cities. In less than a generation, minorities will be the majority statewide. As a result, any company, for profit or nonprofit, must answer the following question in order to thrive: “How do I give my customers what they need?” What they need is what every customer needs – respect; except that communities of color sometimes want it to come with a cultural twist. Arizona Latinos can point to a great historical legacy that precedes statehood. But the coming century may yield our greatest legacy yet. I believe that Arizona understands its destiny. Our corporate supporters know that the changing face of their customer base is a reality and they are responding. If you look at the ranks of our Chamber’s corporate supporters, those we call “Los Amigos,” you get a taste of the companies that are reaching out to the Latino community, such as APS, Fry’s Food Stores, University of Phoenix, SRP, Cox, Univisión and Republic Media, just to name a few. These are companies that not only support community causes, but the way they do business shows how much they value their growing minority customer base. Because in the end, it’s all about the “numbers.” Gonzalo de la Melena is president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. latinopm.com

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Phoenix Convention Center North Ballroom | 100 North Third Street | Phoenix, AZ 85004

MAY 4

MAY 5

BUSINESS WORKSHOPS

THE 54TH ANNUAL BLACK & WHITE BALL AND BUSINESS AWARDS

8 to 11 a.m.

DATOS LUNCHEON 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

16th Annual DATOS: Focus On the Hispanic Market

COMMUNITY TOWN HALL

6 to 9:30 p.m.

Arizona Latinos: A Centennial Legacy

2 to 4 p.m.

A conversation with Dr. Richard Carmona, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate

For ticket purchase or more information: NORMA MACIAS, normam@azhcc.com or [602] 294.6081 or visit www.azhcc.com

DATOS 2012 report highlights: • With over $1 Trillion in

purchasing power, U.S. Hispanics are the 15th largest consumer market in the World.

DATOS 2012

report finds growth of Hispanic purchasing power undeniable BY ANDREA WHITSETT

• From 2000-2010, U.S.

Hispanics accounted for over one-half of the total U.S. population growth.

• Arizona’s Hispanic

population increased by 46%, 2000-2010 and account for almost 1/3 of the total population.

• By 2015, Arizona’s

Hispanic purchasing power will grow to $50 billion, up from $40 billion in 2012.

• From Fall 1998 to Fall

2012, Hispanic students accounted for 87% of Arizona’s total student enrollment increases and by 2012, Hispanic student enrollments will surpass White, non-Hispanic students.

• From 2000 to 2010 Pinal

County experienced a 99 percent growth in Hispanic population, almost doubling in a single decade. Yavapai County's Hispanic population grew by 75 percent and Mohave County saw a 72 percent increase. Maricopa County, with the largest Hispanic population in the state by far, experienced 48 percent growth during the same period.

If you’ve ever questioned the purchasing power of the Hispanic market or the value of culturally relevant marketing, it is time to take note. New data to be released as part of DATOS 2012: Focus on the Hispanic Market affirms the steady growth and influence of the Hispanic population, a deeply-rooted community that has proven it will not be diminished by political whims or economic cycles. “There’s only one way to say it: Arizona’s Hispanic community is a powerful and growing economic force in our state,” said Gonzalo de la Melena, president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “What this year’s report shows is that we are a vital asset when it comes to building the future of Arizona.”

DR. LOUIS OLIVAS

The Chamber will release DATOS 2012 at a special luncheon May 4, as part of the organization’s first-ever, two-day business symposium called Transforming Arizona’s Economy. The symposium happens May 4-5 and will include workshops, seminars, a U.S. Senate candidates debate and the 54th Annual Black & White Ball and Business Awards. [For information, visit www.azhcc.com]. Despite a sluggish economy, persistent anti-immigrant rhetoric and divisive legislation, Hispanics now comprise 30 percent of all Arizona residents, Hispanic purchasing power in Arizona is at an all time high of $40 billion, and Mexico continues to be a critical trade partner. Experts say the strength of today’s Hispanic market is undeniable. As Hispanics carry out their myriad roles as parents, students, business owners, volunteers, artists, activists and more, they consume goods and services that drive significant dollars through our state and local economies. Attached to these dollars are cultural identities and preferences that cannot be ignored by businesses looking to connect with Hispanic consumers. In a competitive market that boasts more media and purchasing options than ever before, savvy businesses pay keen attention to cultural and demographic trends. The annual DATOS report is an annual guide to understanding Arizona’s demographics and decoding Hispanic consumer behavior. This year’s report is more robust than ever, with compelling data on social media use, educational attainment, retail and automotive preferences, birth and fertility, and the Hispanic electorate. Data for the report involved a special editorial content team led by Dr. Louis Olivas that brought together the brainpower and expertise of the Morrison Institute at ASU, Westgroup Research, SRP, GeoScape, Macerich, Henkel/Dial, the Mexican Consulate in Phoenix, Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform, and the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

DATOS 2012 report highlights: • Arizona has the fifth largest percentage

of Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S., and 20,000 businesses in Arizona are Latina-owned.

• In 2010, the average Hispanic household

income in Phoenix was $51,395 and it is expected to grow at a faster rate than that of the general Phoenix population. The top three categories of Hispanic household spending were ‘food at home’ $1.92B (36%), clothing $826M (16%), and fast food $745M (14%).

Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

DATOS 2012 report highlights: • Hispanics are active participants in video

sharing websites. Sixty-four percent of Hispanics visit video sharing websites and of those, 41 percent will make an online purchase.

• An astounding 70 percent of Hispanics in the U.S. are engaged in social media, in particular Facebook, Twitter and the reading and writing of blogs.

The Hispanic market and demographic data above was excerpted from introduction of DATOS 2012: Focus on the Hispanic Market. Andrea Whitsett is a policy analyst at ASU’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy, where she manages the Arizona Indicators project, a centralized data resource that shows Arizona’s competitive position and trajectory.

Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

A F U S I O N O F A R T A N D C U LT U R E

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Lotería

Celebrating 30 Years of the HBA Scholarship Fund May 11 2012 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Live music to follow

Madison Event Center 441 W Madison Street Phoenix, AZ

Cocktails, Lotería, Raffle Prizes, Live Music, art auction & more... For more information and ticket purchase please visit wpcarey.asu.edu/alumni/hba

Wright’s visionary designs emphasized the use of natural materials, harmonious integration of building and landscape and high functionality.

December 18, 2011 through April 29, 2012

Left: Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin, Spring Green, WI, 1956. Photo by OBMA. Courtesy Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Scottsdale, AZ. The exhibition is co-organized by the Milwaukee Art Museum and Phoenix Art Museum, in collaboration with Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Scottsdale, AZ. Presenting sponsors: APS, Bank of America, The Virginia M. Ullman Foundation, Virginia G. Piper Exhibition Endowment Fund. Major sponsors: J.W. Kieckhefer Foundation, Sharon and Lloyd Powell. Supporting sponsors: Meritage Homes Construction, Inc., Lila Harnett, Connoisseurs Circle. Promotional support provided by Univision Arizona and The Phoenician.

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Chief learns by listening Edward Munoz, Chief of Police, San Luis Police Department Years of service: 33 years with the Phoenix Police Department before taking the position with the San Luis Police Department. Career highlights: Assignments to patrol various precincts; community relations; working as a detective. Duties: As chief, I am constantly on the move directing the agency that supports the community and finding innovative solutions to make the city a better place for citizens. Important skills:

Photo courtesy of San Luis Police Department

The most essential skill is being approachable to everyone in the community, which mainly involves being a great listener. Flexibility is an extremely valuable trait.

Proudest moment:

My promotion to chief from officer level, skipping all of the mid-manager levels.

On the job/valuable learning experience: Listening to my heart in order to understand people and give them the opportunity to vent their feelings; this has allowed me to develop true compassion.

Why I wanted to pursue this profession: I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives and give the public a positive perspective on the law enforcement profession.

Next professional step:

The idea that has kept me grounded is that I am always learning. I want to pursue excellence in this position, as well as bring a distinct flavor to the position.

Edward “Eddie” Muñoz, a 34-year law enforcement veteran, was appointed as police chief of the San Luis Police Department in September of 2011.

Final word:

Anyone who pursues a career in law enforcement needs to have a sense of humor, while being sincere and showing their human side at the same time. This is truly a service-oriented profession: “Treat everyone as an important person because they are.”

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. latinopm.com

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Movin’ up!

A Great Place to Work!

The ten Maricopa Community Colleges, located throughout the valley, are lifelong learning institutions with excellent career opportunities and full benefits. Job opportunities exist in faculty positions (full and part-time), management, technology, support staff, facilities and other areas.

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For additional information, employment opportunities and application, visit us online at:

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

or visit

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Recognizing Arizona’s centennial in 2012, MIM celebrates music making—both past and present—as a vital part of the state’s cultural fabric. Music and musical instrument makers of the last century are showcased in the I Am AZ Music exhibition. Additional centennial activities throughout the year will examine Arizona’s history and cultural groups through a musical lens.

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Calendar in the Sky

NASA education program focused on encouraging Latinos in science careers By Bryan J. Mendez, Ph.D.

Whenever I meet someone lately and mention

that I am an astronomer, their first response is to ask about the end of the world in 2012. They’d have heard about some kind of planetary alignment, supposedly predicted by the Mayans, that will cause a great catastrophe for humanity. I quickly try to reassure them that, no, the ancient Maya predicted no such thing; it is just a misinterpretation of one of their calendars. I go on to explain that there is no big planetary alignment in 2012, and, even if there were, it wouldn’t mean anything. People are usually satisfied with that, because they weren’t seriously worried about the end of the world; they were just looking for a better understanding of something they didn’t know anything about. Still, it never ceases to amaze me just how easy it is for bad information to spread, and how difficult it is for good information to get around. It reinforces the need for better science education in our society. There is so much information being created and consumed on a daily basis in our modern culture, and people need the tools that will help them discriminate between the reliable and the ridiculous. For most people, a misunderstanding about planetary science isn’t going to do any harm to themselves or society. However, misunderstandings about biological or earth sciences could have enormous ramifications for us all. This is why I work with a group of scientists and educators at the University of California at Berkeley dedicated to improving science education for all. One of our newer projects is called “Calendar in the Sky”; it is funded by NASA and has the goal of engaging the public in NASA science topics, such as space exploration, astronomy, planetary and earth sciences, etc. We are especially interested in engaging Latinos in the program. NASA’s education programs generally are interested in increasing participation from demographic sectors that are currently under-represented in science. This is both philosophically and practically important for NASA. On the one hand, NASA is funded by the American public, so, all groups deserve to benefit equally from the knowledge it uncovers. As the demographic mix of our nation changes, it is

critical for our political and economic health that we have a population well versed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. There are 50 million Latinos in the United States, the second largest population of Latinos in the world, behind Brazil and Mexico. The U.S. Census Bureau expects this number to triple by the year 2050. However, a study in 2005 by the American Institute of Physics found that only 4% of all scientists and engineers are Latinos. In astronomy, the percentage of Latinos is more like 1%. If this trend continues, Latinos will be left out of the future technical workforce of America. This is why “Calendar in the Sky” is focused on engaging Latinos in science. “Calendar in the Sky” builds on the idea that in order for Latinos to be engaged in learning science, they need to latinopm.com

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G O FA R , CL OSE T O H O M E .

Fo l l ow us on www.phoenixcollege.edu

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find it culturally relevant. But, science has suffered from the misperception that it is an activity separated from culture. Over the past decade, the Center for Science Education at Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory has created programs to highlight the role of science in culture. Some of the best examples come from the indigenous people of the Americas, particularly the Maya of Mesoamerica. Our experience has been that, even though most Latinos in the U.S. cannot trace any heritage directly to the Maya, they often share a sense of kinship with them, perhaps because so many Latinos have some native ancestry. At the height of the ancient Maya civilization, more than one thousand years ago, their priests and kings had a deep knowledge of astronomy. This allowed them to keep calendars that synched well with the seasons, allowing for the regulation of food production. Their engineers built cities of astounding scale and complexity, allowing the population to grow and flourish for centuries. They incorporated their scientific knowledge into their religion, art, architecture and inscriptions. Though much of the ancient culture was lost, the Maya of today still live with this integrated view of science and culture. Rural farmers have learned to use the sky as a calendar to help them know when to plant and harvest their crops. For example, in Guatemala, Mayan farmers know that when the sun makes its first passage through the zenith (directly overhead), the rains will soon come, so this is the prime time to plant crops. They also watch for the time when the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, rises along with the sun and the Milky Way is overhead at night; when this occurs, they need to bend down the corn

stalks to prevent them from rotting in the event of a late rainfall. It has been our great pleasure to learn about Maya culture from friends and colleagues in the Maya community who have helped us design, plan and conduct science education experiences for American audiences. Over the years we have worked with our partners to create webcasts from Chichén Itzá, a teachers’ guide about astronomical alignments in Maya architecture, an interactive website, traveling photo exhibits, teacher training programs and sponsored community events. With “Calendar in the Sky” we have created a new website for the public about Maya astronomy that connects the ancient knowledge of the Maya to modern NASA science (calendarinthesky.org). The website emphasizes the interplay of science and culture embodied by Maya calendars, and addresses misconceptions about the Maya. It also uses NASA resources to inform the public about the astronomical basis of the Maya calendar system and dispels misconceptions about the year 2012. The content of the site is in two main categories, “articles” and “multimedia resources.” Articles are short essays written by the project team, about 500 to 1,000 words in length, that are meant for non-expert readers. They can have accompanying imagery, audio or video, and can reference other articles or resources. We had initially envisioned releasing one per week, but we quickly realized that this was too ambitious, at least for the period that we are conducting training workshops. So, at present, we are releasing about one per month. There are currently seven articles on the site: Calendar in the sky, The Maya: Ancient and

modern, The descent of K’uk’ulkan, Science, From people to black holes, The science of 2012, and The great galactic alignment of 2012. Multimedia resources are organized by the following categories: images, video, tutorials, websites, books, lesson plans and software. Most of the resources are gathered from the internet and outside sources. We only link or showcase resources with which we have experience and are satisfied as to their accuracy and quality. We have developed, or are in the process of developing, some original content to include here. For example, there are two activity lesson plans for informal education settings that are currently being developed: one about Maya math and and one on the solar alignments at the Temple of K’uk’ulkan at Chichén Itzá. We have also created a tutorial on how to use the free sky software, Stellarium. The tutorial introduces the basics of how to use the program; it shows how to upload a landscape of the Classic Maya city, Uxmal, in order to observe the sky from that location as it appears at the time of the winter solstice. We also have some original videos of lectures given by our Maya partners, Alonso Mendez and Marco Pacheco, during a workshop at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Beyond the website, we are providing professional development training for educators so that they can: increase their familiarity with “Calendar in the Sky” topics and resources; learn about, and share, best practices in public programming for Latinos in informal settings; get ideas for an informal education event or program about astronomy, Maya culture or the year 2012; and create opportunities for networking between participants (especially with Latino community members), allowing for future interactions and/or collaborations. One of the key ideas of the project is for the participants to become connected in a network of educators who can be resources for one another. In the future, this will have a much more significant impact than our small team alone can.

These training programs are intended for educators working in a broad range of venues: museums, science centers, community centers, parks, astronomical societies, Latino cultural organizations, libraries, etc. The first part of the training has been in the form of workshops held in metropolitan areas with the largest Latino populations (San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Houston and New York). In addition, starting in the spring of 2012, we will conduct webinars about “Calendar in the Sky” topics, ranging from the “long count” calendar used by the ancient Maya (the ostensible source of all the recent 2012 craziness) to super-massive black holes discovered across the universe by NASA missions. Even if you are not an educator, we hope that our website and presence in social media (Facebook and twitter) will allow you to learn a little about the Maya, NASA, and why you should go ahead and plan for 2013. Bryan J. Mendez is the director of the “Calendar in the Sky” project. He hails from Traverse City, Michigan, where the dark sky enthralled him from a very early age and inspired him to study astronomy. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1997 with degrees in Astronomy, Physics and Saxophone Performance. Bryan continued his education at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, where he received a Ph.D. in Astrophysics in 2002, researching the large-scale flow of galaxies. Bryan now works at the Center for Science Education at UC-Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory to educate and inspire others about the wonder and beauty of the universe. His work in space science education and public outreach involves developing programs for the public through the web and museums, creating classroom materials for K-12 students, and conducting professional development for science educators. Bryan is bicultural, of Mexican and European backgrounds, and strives to foster diverse perspectives in his work.

Have an education story idea? Send your information to editor@latinopm.com.

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Sure shot

On the importance of a good vaccination plan By Robrt L. Pela

Preventive medicine gets a bad rap.

“We typically don’t consider our health until the day we wake up feeling bad,” according to Arturo Gonzalez, president of the Arizona chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “We think about what to do to feel better, instead of focusing on how to prevent sickness in the first place.” The way to do that, says Gonzalez, a doctor in private practice at Scottsdale Children’s Group, is to vaccinate. “But first,” he insists, “we all have to get over some big misconceptions about vaccines and their benefits.” Among the many myths about immunization is that it is just for kids – that we all magically arrive at an age where “getting shots” is somehow behind us. But college students, middle-aged adults and senior citizens (especially senior citizens) need immunizations – either boosters or annual shots like the flu vaccine – to stay well. Seniors are especially vulnerable to serious diseases, and a renewed vaccine schedule can not only help an older person stay well, but will prevent the spread of disease through the wider elderly community in a day-care facility or nursing home. There is also a real need for pregnant women to be mindful of vaccinations, which will help protect both mom and baby. If you are trying to get pregnant, it is best to avoid live vaccines within a month before conception, although inactivated vaccines can be given at any time before or during pregnancy. A woman who is pregnant during flu season should plan to receive the current, inactivated flu vaccine, because a pregnant woman who gets the flu is at risk for serious complications during pregnancy. It is perfectly safe for a woman to receive vaccines after giving birth, even while she is breastfeeding. In fact, most pediatric physicians recommend a TDaP vaccination

(against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) right after delivery. Vaccinating a new mother against pertussis (whooping cough) can reduce the risk to her newborn, too. Finally, a woman who hasn’t had measles, mumps, rubella or varicella (chickenpox) should be vaccinated before leaving the hospital after giving birth. The immunization rate in Arizona is 76.4 percent. In order for the state to be completely protected from serious latinopm.com

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Who will you dine out for? Every 13 seconds a child is abused. Someone is affected by sexual violence every 2.5 minutes. Help us help those in need.

Who will you dine out for?

disease outbreaks, that percentage must, according to Gonzalez, rise to 92 percent. “But that’s going to take some real work,” he insists, “because when you are talking about vaccines, there are so many nay-sayers. People will say, ‘Don’t get a flu shot; the government is pushing you to do it.’ Yet, most vaccines aren’t provided by the government. Or they say, ‘you are overwhelming your immune system,’ but that’s hardly possible.” Gonzalez likes to challenge those who minimize the importance of vaccines. “I say to them, ‘If you can name one disease on the face of earth that has been eradicated with something other than a vaccine, please do.’ Of course, they can’t.” Gonzalez is also troubled by the sug-

gestion that doctors are making money from vaccines. “I don’t work for the pharmaceutical companies, and I don’t get kickbacks,” he insists. “In fact, doctors lose money on vaccines, and we always have.” That’s true, despite the fact that insurance companies will often cover as much as 100 percent of a vaccine’s cost, because the hosting facility must purchase refrigerators in which to store the vaccine, as well as syringes and liability insurance and nurses to administer the drugs. Still, most physicians are willing to lose money on immunizations, if it means curtailing the state’s ongoing battle with infectious diseases. In February, an Arizona House of Representatives’ Health and Human Services Committee reported that

Not just for babies

priMake l 25,a2012 Eat a Out. Difference Wednesday, April 25, 2012 Join us for Dine Out for Safety on April 25th when restaurants statewide will donate a portion of their proceeds to support services for children, individuals and families affected by abuse. Full list of participating restaurants in your area is available at www. dineoutforsafety.com. Presenting Sponsors: Clear Channel Tucson Community Partnership of Southern Arizona Platinum Sponsor: Comcast Gold Sponsor: Advision Outdoor Shelter Silver Sponsors: BMO Harris Bank & Desert Diamond Casino

Who should be vaccinated and when? Use this handy guide to learn more about which vaccines you need at different times in the life cycle. Babies and little kids, birth to age 6 All doctors administer childhood vaccines in a series of two or more doses. Each dose is recommended at a specific age, and sometimes one injection can provide protection against more than one disease. Hepatitis B: This is usually given in three vaccinations – at birth, at one month and at six months old. TDaP3 (tetanus, diptheria, and pertussis): Given in five doses, this one can be spread out over five or six years, beginning when your child is a few months old and ending just before he begins attending kindergarten or first grade. Hib4: This early-age flu vaccine (against haemophilus influenza, Type B) is given in four doses between the ages of two months and one year.

www.DineOutForSafety.com

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MMR (measles, mumps and rubella): This one packs a wallop and stays with your child from birth through late in his preschool years. Some public schools require this vaccination before a child can enroll.

local outbreaks of communicable viruses, once thought to be on the decline, are, in fact, on the rise. A panel of medical experts discussed the importance of childhood immunizations in preventing the occurrence and spread of illness, and acknowledged

that people in some ethnic and income groups, who may not have health insurance, often don’t visit doctors with much regularity, and therefore don’t maintain a strict vaccination schedule. “If you can’t afford to go to a general practitioner, go to the state health department,” says Gonzalez, who was among the House Committee’s panelists. “They provide free immunizations. Vaccines protect more than just our families. They protect the state. One case of measles in a local school district could ultimately cost taxpayers more than $800,000 in attempting to inhibit the disease’s spread. Immunization is no longer just about keeping your kids from getting sick. It’s about protecting all of us.”

Pre-teens and teens, ages 7–18 years Most parents consider the vaccinations given to babies and toddlers the important ones, but the vaccines intended for pre-teens and teens can prevent serious, sometimes life-threatening, illnesses like meningitis and HPV. Diseases like pertussis require a renewable vaccine, so, keep track of which second-dose vaccinations your older kids need. Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis booster: This is a booster if your infant or toddler was vaccinated. If there was no early vaccination, it is best administered at ages 11 or 12, with a booster in later teen years. Varicella (chickenpox): Even if your baby was immunized against chickenpox, make sure they have a catch-up vaccine sometime between ages 8 and 10. Hepatitis B: Given as a catch-up vaccine at about age 10; this is an important one. Young adults, ages 19-24 Your college-age kids are more independent, but keep track of their immunizations into young adulthood, particularly these:

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Meningococcal conjugate: This vaccine protects against bacterial meningitis and may even be required for some college freshmen who plan to live in a dormitory. TDaP: A booster, this vaccine patches an earlier vaccination and protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. HPV: This vaccine protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes most cases of cervical and anal cancers, as well as genital warts. *Benefits Selling 2008 Reader’s Choice Awards

The recently launched Spanish-language version of vaccines.gov (es.vaccines.gov) offers information about everything related to vaccines from a practical perspective.

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Get your plate in shape with seeds By Michelle Gorman

Move over nuts – incorporating seeds into your

daily diet is the next big trend! Who knew that seeds had so much power when it comes to eating healthy and adding an extra bounce to your step? Of course, seeds are the “eggs” that contain the nutrients needed to nourish the development of a new plant, so their high nutrient content shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. But what is surprising is that we generally demote these nutritional wonders to the occasional snack rather than making them a regular part of our diet. Seeds are wonderful sources of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, and we often only need to sprinkle a few into existing salads, hummus plates and yogurt cups to make a big difference in our nutrition. With their gold mine of healthy minerals, seeds are a tiny package of key nutrients. They are among the better plant sources of iron and zinc. In fact, did you know that

Six readily available seeds and how to use them If you try incorporating these six seeds into your diet, you will be surprised just how much fiber and how many vitamins you will take into your body, ultimately helping you to meet your goal of living a healthier lifestyle. Hemp is a complete protein and contains all nine essential amino acids. This can be a great source of protein for vegetarians. Hemp is most often used by sprinkling it in shakes or smoothies, or by tossing a few of the seeds over fruit or a yogurt parfait. Hemp is also a tasty accompaniment to hummus.

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Wheat germ is high in folate, which is key for women of childbearing age to fight the risks of birth defects, such as spina bifida. Wheat germ can also be found in lots of yummy cereals, such as granola, and is also known to be tasty in cottage cheese. And, don’t forget popcorn – who doesn’t love a good batch of all-natural popcorn with a few dashes of wheat germ (without the butter or salt, of course)?

Sunflower seeds are high in vitamin E and act as an antioxidant, preventing wrinkles. Who knew sunflower seeds could perform as an anti-aging trick? Sunflower seeds also help lower cholesterol levels and fight heart disease. These are delicious when sprinkled on chicken salad!

one ounce of pumpkin seeds contains almost twice as much iron as three ounces of skinless chicken breast? They are also good sources of protein. Also, keep in mind that seeds provide more fiber per ounce than nuts. Sesame seeds are a surprising source of the bone-building mineral, calcium, which is great for those who have trouble tolerating dairy products. And, when it comes to getting your proper dose of iron, seeds are a great choice. The only drawback to seeds is that some are quite high in fat, which is why it is important that you track your seed intake closely and stick to consuming less than four ounces per week. (Eating four

ounces of nuts, seeds or soy products a week is recommended.) In moderation, there are many ways you can incorporate seeds into the food you are already eating. For instance, they can be added to cereals or trail mix, as well as eaten by themselves. A sprinkling of seed kernels over fruits, vegetables, pastas or salads adds a touch of crunchy texture and flavor. Sesame seeds are especially attractive as toppers for breads, rolls, salads and stir fries. Michelle Gorman, nutrition expert and registered dietitian at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Arizona, has more than 16 years in the healthy living business. As a health care leader for one of Arizona’s largest networks of contracted health care providers, she proudly believes in the company’s mission of improving the quality of life of Arizonans by delivering a variety of health insurance products and services to meet the diverse needs of individuals, families, and small and large businesses, as well as providing information and tools to help individuals make better health decisions.

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Pumpkin seeds contain phytosterils that help to reduce bad cholesterol. These are loaded with the good healthy fats. Don’t forget to incorporate pumpkin seeds into just about any salad out there. Flax seeds are extremely high in fiber, which can reduce constipation and bloating. They are also high in omega-3 fatty acids. Grinding them prior to consumption is how you release their nutritional value.

Chia seeds are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, and they have among the highest antioxidant activity of any whole food – even more than fresh blueberries. And, they also help keep blood pressure and blood sugar under control. Surprisingly, chia is a great addition to stews and soups. Don’t be afraid to get creative and try new ways to incorporate these nutritional powerhouses into your diet. It is important to note, however, that this is general information only, and is not intended to take the place of your health care provider’s independent medical judgment. You should consult with your health care provider regarding your specific needs.

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Stella Pope Duarte

The last great Mexica By Stella Pope Duarte

TenochTitlán was the last to fall.

The Spaniards had launched three months of destruction on the cities of Anáhuac, each city devastated in turn, until only Tenochtitlán stood isolated, the pride of the Mexica (Aztec) empire. The battles had been bloody, the dead on both sides forming mounds of decaying flesh. The Spaniards had vowed to destroy every temple, idol and pyramid dedicated to the gods of the ancient world. And still, the Mexica fought on, at one point, capturing over sixty Spanish soldiers and sacrificing them to their war god, Huitzilopochtli, in full view of Cortés and his men. During the siege of Tenochtitlan, the Mexica were imprisoned in their once-splendid island city and had been reduced to eating worms, insects and the bark of trees. No fresh water flowed, and still the people would not surrender. Then, as if to mark the end of a great nation, a single canoe sailed silently out of Tenochitlán carrying the last great emperor of the Mexica nation, the 19-year-old Cuauhtémoc, a rebel of great bravery and fortitude who had led his people through their darkest time. Cuauhtémoc had risen to power after Moctezuma had been stoned to death by his own people for giving into the Spanish invaders. Moctezuma’s fears had gotten the best of him, and he assumed Cortés was his nemesis, Quetzalcoatl, come back to take over his kingdom. This had been the prophecy uttered by the priests of

Huitzilopochtli, and it was realized by Cortés’ arrival on the predicted date, 1519, a One-Reed year. Married to one of Moctezuma’s daughters, Cuauhtémoc rose to power by sheer will and his desire to conquer the Spanish invaders and protect his beloved land. Yet, he was a military strategist and knew he was up against not only the Spaniards, but the native peoples who had become their allies. One by one, the cities of the great empire had fallen, first Texcoco, followed by Ixtapalapa, Chalco, Tacuba, Tepeyac and Coyoacán. The canoe carrying Cuauhtémoc was intercepted by the Spanish and the young emperor was abducted and put in chains. Only then were the Spaniards able to enter the great city to witness its last effort at resistance and final destruction. Bernal Diaz described the horrific scene in his memoirs: “We found the houses filled with the dead. The entire city had been dug up for roots, which had been cooked and eaten.” According to Diaz and other historians, the defeat of la gente del quinto sol was a profound blow that would crush them for generations to come. Cuauhtémoc’s name became forever connected to what it means to bravely resist against all odds. Mexican mothers often said to their children, “Aguántate como Cuauhtémoc” (Endure like Cuauhtémoc). This saying referred to the story of Cuauhtémoc suffering greatly as his feet were thrust into a vat of boiling oil by the Spaniards. Sitting next to him, a deposed king cried out, “This pain is unbearable!” Cuauhtémoc, at his side, calmly answered,

“Do you think, perhaps, I am enjoying the pleasures of my bath?” In addressing Malinche (also known as Doña Marina, Cortés’ translator), Cuauhtémoc related a most urgent message. He commanded her to record these words to his Spanish captors: “I NEVER surrendered; I was taken by force.” And, thus, his words were recorded for all time. According to the records of the Chontales of Tabasco, Cuauhtémoc was forcibly baptized by the Spaniards, then beheaded, and his head displayed on a ravaged temple, a symbol of Spanish supremacy. Yet, the young Cuauhtémoc’s legacy has never been surpassed, for he was the last great Mexica. Editor’s note: Details of the Conquest of Mexico included in this essay are those favored by the author, and do not necessarily represent the consensus of ethnohistorians. The documents that chronicle the Conquest were written at different times and from different points of view; only a handful are eyewitness accounts. Many inconsistencies exist among the extant descriptions of events surrounding the Conquest.

Stella Pope Duarte was born and raised in South Phoenix. She began her awardwinning career in 1995 after she had a dream in which her deceased father told her that her destiny was to become a writer. Contact her at stellapopeduarte.com. latinopm.com

¡ April 2012!

Latino Perspectives Magazine

¡!

my perspective on: sexuality

Let’s talk! By Montserrat Caballero

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In 2001, I was part of

an all-volunteer committee that brought the first Spanish language production of the play, The Vagina Monologues, to Arizona. If you haven’t heard of it, it is an amazing play that is based on interviews with women on how they feel about their vaginas and everything associated with them – the positive and negative. I remember sitting in meetings and agonizing about how to advertise the play. Were we ready to invite the our community to this? Could we say vagina on the air? Would we be boycotted? Would there be outrage? I didn’t even tell my mother what I was doing. I had been an anti-violence advocate for more than 10 years. I had accompanied countless sexual assault survivors to hospitals, answered crisis calls, done presentations on abuse, heard about the ugliest and most intimate ways that people are abused, mostly by those they knew, trusted and even loved, and yet, I was afraid. Sexuality is as normal and natural as breathing. Yet, it is treated as the most unnatural aspect of humanity – something to be avoided and hidden, something to be ashamed of. It is mysterious, but in a frightening way. How are we ever going to break the silence about sexual abuse and assault if we can’t have an open and honest discussion about sexuality in general? It is not only completely normal, but sexuality is a fulfilling and important part of our human experience. Yet, we have almost no real and compassionate language to discuss it. How we portray sexuality to young people is equally frightening. Instead of focusing on the fact that sexuality is part of the experience of being alive in the world, instead of showing young people how to engage in positive and empowering conversations about what it means to have a healthy sexual relationship and, yes, how sex and sexual contact will or will not be a part of their lives, we ignore or mystify or even demonize sex. All of our messaging about

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human sexuality is negative: don’t get pregnant, don’t have sex before marriage, don’t get a sexual disease, etc. It’s a mess. And yet this strained and corrosive attitude we have to human sexuality has real consequences. In the U.S., one in six women will be the victim of an attempted or completed sexual assault in her lifetime, and, over 85% of the time, the attacker is someone known and trusted. Usually, however, the victim will be blamed, so that the victims of sexual assault are shamed into silence. It is time that victims of sexual abuse and assault are supported and believed, not judged and blamed. It is time that we, as a community, stand up and say – ni una mas (not one more). I went on to help produce Los Monólogos de la Vagina for another six years. About three years into it, my mother asked me if I had ever heard of this wonderful play by this woman about the vagina? I could only smile and say I had. I am still an anti-violence advocate and I still help those hurt and traumatized by sexual abuse. I am proud of my work, proud of my contributions, proud of my ability to break the silence. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and it is a great opportunity to learn more about the important efforts of local groups in your area who work tirelessly to put an end to sexual violence. There are many ways, large and small, that you can be a part of this work. I encourage you to get involved. Check out the Southern Arizona Center against Sexual Assault website at sacasa.org for more information. Hasta que la violencia termine – until the violence stops. Montserrat Caballero has been an anti-violence advocate and educator for over 18 years, providing direct service to victims of sexual and domestic violence, conducting community and professional training, and developing and sustaining programs. Her expertise includes working with immigrant survivors of violence, cultural sensitivity and awareness, community development and organizing. Currently, she is the program director of the Southern Arizona Center against Sexual Assault, one of the Arizona’s Children Association’s family of agencies.

Visit sacasa.org for more information on the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault (SACASA), part of the Arizona’s Children Association’s family of agencies. Visit vday.org for more information on The Vagina

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Monologues and the international movement, V-Day. If you or someone you know needs help, call SACASA’s 24-hour bilingual crisis line: 1-800-400-1001 (anonymous and confidential).

Valle del Sol’s Hispanic

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S !

Leadership

For twenty-five years, Valle del Sol’s Hispanic Leadership Institute (HLI) has lived up to the vision of being the foremost authority on leadership for Arizona’s Latino communities with more than 700 alumni.

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In commemorating this 25 year milestone, many thanks and congratulations goes to the award recipients and sponsors.

Celebrates

H L I D A N I E L R . O RT E G A , J R . P U B L I C S E R V I C E AWA R D

HLI ALUMNI E X C E L L E N C E AWA R D

Hon. Daniel Valenzuela Phoenix City Councilman, District 5

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HLI CLASS OF 2005

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25 Years.

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¡! my perspective on:

How best to serve Arizonans

Dr. Richard H. Carmona, 17th U.S. Surgeon General, is a candidate for the U.S. Senate for Arizona By Dr. Richard H. Carmona

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I grew up in a poor

Hispanic family in New York City. Our family struggled at times, experiencing homelessness, hunger and bleak prospects for economic and educational advancement. Yet, as a kid, I was happy. Because of our situation, I had to learn some tough early lessons about social injustices and economic disparities. Still, my abuelita emphasized culture and told us to always be proud of who we are. And even though she never spoke English a day in her life, I will never forget that it was my abuelita who told me that getting an education would set me free. Although I didn’t follow her advice right away – as usual – she was right. Like my brothers and sisters and many of my friends, I dropped out of high school, enlisted in the Army and went to Vietnam. I had few skills and little education, but I was determined to make it through. My military service instilled in me the discipline I needed. I completed my GED, became a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces and a combat-decorated medic. I also became the first member of my family to go to college – thanks to an open enrollment program at Bronx Community College reserved for returning veterans. I went on to earn my medical degree, awarded the prestigious gold-headed can as the top graduate, from the University of California, San Francisco. My story is one that I know could only happen in the United States. It is the kind of story Americans of all backgrounds have some understanding of, an experience and opportunity that generations of immigrants want for their children. I’ve lived the American dream. Yet, all these years later – after becoming a trauma surgeon, deputy sheriff and the 17th Surgeon General of the United States – I’m running for the U.S. Senate because I never forgot where I came from.

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¡ April 2012!

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I still see life from the eyes of a poor kid who grew up on the streets. My life experiences have given me a unique view of how culture, health, education and economic status shape our view of the world and the outlook for the future of our community. With economic disparities and social divisions becoming even more profound, I fear that our state and country have taken a step back in providing opportunities for education and social advancement. We face serious problems here in Arizona: our state’s public education system routinely ranks near the bottom; we are still in the midst of a foreclosure crisis; and the gap between rich and poor is only widening. But even with these major issues, we have seen over and over again that the so-called leaders of our state would rather spend their time scoring partisan political points than providing solutions that matter to people. Arizona is afflicted with the same political paralysis that career politicians have created in Washington. There is neither the will nor ability to solve the serious problems we face. I’m tired of the partisan bickering that is beneath the dignity of the offices these politicians hold. We deserve lawmakers who want to solve problems, not create more. We deserve to make headlines for the right reasons. The politicians in Washington and at the state capitol have lost sight of what they were elected to do. It is clear they are disconnected from the priorities of the people they were sent to represent. They don’t care about the struggles of everyday Arizonans and, because of this, they don’t have any interest in finding solutions. I don’t look at things like a politician – I see them as a veteran, a doctor, a deputy sheriff and a businessman. The health and future of our state and nation is on the line, and the career politicians who created this mess won’t be the ones to clean it up. I am running for the U.S. Senate to be a problem solver, because I believe what is best about our country is what will help move us forward. In one generation, I was able to go from a homeless child of parents who emigrated to this country to Surgeon General of the United States. I want to ensure an even brighter future for our next generation. I want to rebuild America’s infrastructure of opportunity – and that’s what I intend to do in office.

Think outside the mailbox. LPM, sent to your Inbox. For seven years, LPM has been the only Arizona magazine focused on the local Latino community. Sign up for the free digital edition: www.latinopm.com/digital