www.latinopm.com
October 2010
ARIZONA EDITION
www.latinopm.com
•
Are we so different?
OctoBER 2010
Cancer of bureaucracy
Partisan politics aside
•
Should it matter where a woman gets diagnosed?
Jaime Molera on education
ARIZONA EDITION
Tarahumara trend The bare truth about running
START TELLING A BETTER STORY go daddy
MARTIN GUERRERO DID. MARTIN’S STORY
I started at Go Daddy in February of 2007 as an Inbound Sales and Support Representative. After six months in that role I was promoted to Floor Lead, then to Inbound Sales & Support Supervisor, and about a year and a half later the opportunity arose to start a Spanish Support department. There I had the chance to start a new division within the company and provide the support our Spanish speaking customers had been asking for. We have been up and running for a year and a half and growing by leaps and bounds.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING AT GO DADDY? The thing I like most is the ability to go wherever you want to go within the company. No one will ever place limits on your career goals and the support of the people around you is awesome. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL HERE? Bring a positive attitude and the drive to make yourself better every day. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE APPLYING TO GO DADDY? Basic Internet terminology is a must. Other than that our training is pretty comprehensive, so as long as you’re willing to learn we’ll give you all the tools you need to be successful. HOW DOES YOUR TEAM HELP CUSTOMERS? My team in particular helps our Spanish-speaking customers from across the globe in getting their online presence up and running. We support them in every aspect from the initial domain registration to adding the products they need to make them more successful as they grow.
MARTIN GUERRERO IS GOING PLACES WITH GO DADDY. YOU CAN, TOO. CHECK OUT OUR OPPORTUNITIES AT WWW.GODADDY.COM/JOBS Go Daddy is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
“We must view education as an investment, not an expense.” SHELLEY ESQUE Vice President, Intel
The education we provide for Arizona’s children will determine the kind of future we all enjoy. Arizona employers need a highly skilled, talented workforce to diversify our economy, increase job opportunities and stay competitive.That requires a stronger education system that begins at birth and continues through career. By investing time, talent and money to improve education today, we better position Arizona for long-term success. In the end, we all benefit. Education is everyone’s business. Make it your priority. Visit ExpectMoreArizona.org.
Journal of the American Latino Dream
Volume 7
{October 2010}
26
Issue 2
53
t?A cancer catch n e r e f f i d o Not all that different s e w re A A touring exhibit is coming to the Arizona Science Center. In Arizona, some women inadvertently disqualify themselves hip
ns er of Cancbe If only it could part of the permanent collectionPartiassaide ucracy burea
Setting a new tone for education in Arizona
Should it matter where a woman gets diagnosed?
from receiving AHCCCS support for cancer treatment
To incorporate or not?
42
It all depends
7 11
From the publisher Action, awareness and the fight against breast cancer
¡De veras!
Notable quotes and other fanciful items
12 LP journal Send in the clowns; school board races are
stages for activism and apathy; what would Jesus do?
14 Vibe Nordstrom and Robert Rodriguez support MANA; Writers on Border Lines; In Search of Light
19 Rincón del arte
33 Business Castro Thompson is HoV community liaison; First Things First for Ibarra-Johnson and Rabago-Mussi; Castañeda heads up MCCCD’s Student Success Programs
37 Entrepreneur For Julianna Garten, it was a logical progression to go from architect to shoe designer
47 Those who serve Kristina Tellez, undeterred paramedic and
fire captain for the Glendale Fire Department
49 Education involvement in a child’s education Parental is a balance between too much and too little 54 Time out
Running barefoot, or close to it, may be better than wearing hundred-dollar shoes
39 Briefcase Does your small business warrant setting up a corporate structure?
60 Getaway
Not a mirage, Talking Stick Resort is a virtual oasis right in Scottsdale
43 Career In the market for a new career? Trade schools offer an education that hones skills and can provide job stability
The life of painter Norma Garcia-Torres has come full circle
Coming in November:
73
My perspective
Jaime Molera on the next superintendent of instruction; Kelli Cordova Wright on Prop 302
honoring those who serve www.latinopm.com
¡ October 2010!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
5
STATE FARM AGENT, LAURA GARCIA 2030 W. Baseline Rd., Ste. 180 Phoenix, AZ 85041 Phone: (602) 232-2810
YEARS AS A STATE FARM AGENT: Three and a half
PREVIOUS CAREER: State Farm Claim Automation Supervisor
EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Science, Applied Mathematics from ASU
Q&A Q: Why did you become a State Farm agent? A: I became a State Farm agent to help empower our community to protect their families through insurance and financial service products. I also wanted to serve as a resource by providing education in this area, options tailored to their needs, and support in helping them achieve their dreams. Q: What are two qualities an agent should exhibit? A: Passion and Integrity Q: What makes being a State Farm agent the right opportunity for you?
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: Two full-time, four part-time
MEMORABLE MOMENT:
One of the most rewarding experiences I had as an agent was a follow-up appointment with one of my clients, who showed me that she had paid off two credit cards after I helped her create a budget the year prior. We also started a life policy that would provide protection for what was most important to her — family. After one year, the policy had already accumulated cash value that she could use for future emergencies.
A: As a mother of two young girls, it’s important for me to have a flexible work schedule. I also wanted to be in control of my own success. As a State Farm Agent, I am able to manage my priorities and find achievement both at home and in my career. Q: What advice would you give someone considering investing in a State Farm agency? A: Take the time to learn more about this opportunity by visiting with other agents. Gain some experience in this field, possibly working in an agent’s office and researching the market you want to serve. It is important to feel a strong passion for helping those you wish to serve.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO BECOME A STATE FARM AGENT AND RECEIVE THE SUPPORT OF A FORTUNE 50 COMPANY, CONTACT CHRIS CRUZ AT (480) 293-8504 OR CHRIS.CRUZ.GUKV@STATEFARM.COM. YOU CAN ALSO VISIT THE STATE FARM WEBSITE AT WWW.STATEFARM.COM/CAREERS.
¡! from the executive editor
October 2010 Publisher/CEO Ricardo Torres
Awareness and action
Executive Editor/COO Cecilia Rosales, Ph.D. Editor Rosa Cays Art Director Charles Sanderson Contributing Writers Catherine Anaya, Erica Cardenas, Dan Cortez, Jonathan Higuera, Ruben Hernandez, Gary Keller, Jaime Molera, Stella Pope Duarte, Kelli Cordova Wright, Georgann Yara Director of Sales and Marketing Carlos Jose Cuervo Advertising Account Executives: Grace Alvarez and Barry Farber Executive Assistant to CEO & COO Olivia Rojas Staff Writer Sam Naser Webmaster Jorge Quintero
Contact Us
www.latinopm.com 3877 N. 7th St., Ste. 200 Phoenix, Arizona 85014 602-277-0130 Advertising: sales@latinopm.com Editorial: editor@latinopm.com Design: art@latinopm.com
Subscriptions For home or office delivery, please send your name, address, phone number, and a check for $24 to Latino Perspectives Magazine at the address above. Subscriptions also available for credit-card purchase by calling 602-277-0130. Visit www.latinopm.com/digital for a free digital subscription. Latino Perspectives Magazine is published 12 times a year and is selectively distributed throughout Arizona. The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted by Latino Perspectives Media, LLC, all rights reserved, and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.
By Cecilia Rosales, Ph.D.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for the second
year we have partnered with the Phoenix affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure to share with you critical information that can save lives by raising awareness about the importance of breast cancer screening and early detection. Look for the special supplement that starts on page 65. This year we are also proud to sponsor the 18th Annual Susan G. Komen Phoenix Race for the Cure. Join us on October 10th in the fight to end breast cancer. The funds raised in the 5K race are used to support screening, treatment and education programs in central and northern Arizona, and research through the organization’s national breast cancer research program. Last year the event raised $2 million. To be a part of this year’s effort, visit www.komenphoenix.org and register to participate. I know how important early detection is because my maternal grandmother died of breast cancer. The cancer had spread by the time she was diagnosed. My paternal grandmother was lucky; she was diagnosed early, received prompt treatment and was eventually cancer free. Because of my family history, I get screened for breast cancer every year. Although the insurance company doesn’t think I’m old enough to need mammograms and breast ultrasounds, my primary care physician is a formidable patient advocate and has helped me navigate the insurance maze. But many women aren’t so lucky and don’t get screened regularly, because they don’t have access to information, insurance or affordable healthcare options. Did you know that women who would otherwise qualify for ACCCHS, but get diagnosed with breast cancer through an entity other than the state-funded Well Woman HealthCheck Program are ineligible to receive treatment through ACCCHS? If you answered “no,” you are not alone. Rosa Cays writes about the “Cancer of Bureaucracy” in the Health department. Read it – chances are you know someone who has been waiting for a community health fair to get a free mammogram. This is information you’ll want to share. In our cover story, Georgann Yara writes about the new and timely exhibit at the Arizona Science Center, RACE: Are We So Different? A project of the American Anthropological Association, the exhibit draws from history, science and genuine experience to explain the differences among people and “reveals the reality – and unreality – of race.” Be prepared to be challenged! Latino Perspectives is proud to support the Arizona Science Center as a media partner in this effort. Lastly, I want to thank all of you who joined us last month at the Phoenix Art Museum to celebrate our sixth anniversary. We were thrilled to see over 300 people in attendance. Check out some of the photos on page 22 and online at www.latinopm.com. Read on.
www.latinopm.com
¡ October 2010!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
7
¡! On the calle
Será posible?
Thanks from the trenches I was thrilled to read your article on the latest research supporting early brain development, “Helping parents ‘do better’” in July’s Latino Perspectives. Here at the Arizona Multihousing Association (AMA), our members have been instrumental in connecting families in rental communities with an innovative early education program. In collaboration with the voter-approved First Things First program and Southwest Human Development, the AMA introduced Raising a Reader to hundreds of its families throughout Maricopa County. The results have been nothing less than extraordinary. Participants involved with this pilot program have benefited from the proven research of parent involvement, access to quality early education promoting both brain development and school preparedness. Thank you again, LP, for keeping your finger on the pulse of the community and its ever-evolving needs!! Lucina Chavez Community Relations Specialist Phoenix
Hulburd is for real As Independent voters in Congressional District 3, we are pleased to see that we have a candidate who is not only superbly qualified but is generally moderate in his political philosophy. Jon Hulburd is a welcome respite from the partisan vitriol to which Arizona has become accustomed. We invite everyone to explore the Jon Hulburd for Congress website. Ask questions. We do not 100 percent agree with all his policy positions, but neither will his Democratic colleagues. This guy is for real and he is not a Washington insider. We are comfortable
Your thoughts? Tell us what you think. Send your thoughts to editor@latinopm.com 8
Latino Perspectives Magazine
¡ October 2010!
www.latinopm.com
in casting our votes for Hulburd and know he will be a representative for which Arizona will be proud. Jerry and Rose Bowman Phoenix
Silly little cowboy To be quite honest, I am aghast at the level of hatred and misrepresentation being pushed into the “marketplace of ideas” by the socalled leaders of this state. Far too often, I see Arizonans send Republicans to Washington and elect them to serve in local offices based on religious alignments and other “singleissue” loyalties. Never before has it been more important that we put these false loyalties aside and recognize what is really happening here: The Republicans are using, and have for a long time, wedge issues such as abortion and homosexuality to stratify the electorate and literally “divide and conquer” us. With their recent attacks on Mexican immigrants, the Republicans are again, attempting to divide the electorate and stoke racial hatred. No candidate personifies this more than the angry young son of Dan Quayle, Republican candidate for District 3. I was appalled at his raging and almost incoherent primary commercial (which I am sure he will be using in the general elections as well). The last thing we need is some silly little cowboy going to Washington to “knock the hell” out of everyone – or to even try. The last thing we need is more polarization and victimization. Calmer heads must prevail. This is why I am going to be working to elect Jon Hulburd in District 3, and I encourage your organization to consider endorsing him. Thank you! Lynne Jacoby Phoenix
Latino Perspectives welcomes feedback from readers regarding published stories or topics of interest. Please include your name and phone number. Mail letters to Editor, Latino Perspectives, 3877 N. 7th St., Ste. 200, Phoenix, AZ 85014. Or, e-mail letters to editor@latinopm.com.
An insurance policy for that? If you’ve been reluctant to travel
to the infamous Ciudad Juárez, or any other city in the Mexican state of Chihuahua out of fear of the ongoing drug-related violence … this may sway you change to your mind and book a flight to Chihua-hua ASAP. A legislator from Chihuahua has come up with a novel idea to help stimulate the state’s economy and attract more visitors: free life insurance for tourists. Clever, eh? Yes, especially among Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s patients and others with a death wish. Congressman Humberto Olivas from the ruling party Partido Acción Nacional tells El Diario de Juarez the free policy would “offer coverage to the people who visit our state and who for some reason were to encounter a bullet, or be mugged, or were to lose their life in any way …” Comforting; reassuring. Maybe the legislature and the secretary of tourism should consult with the geniuses from the State of Sonora and the creative minds behind the “Visit Rocky Point” ads that ran in the Republic not too long ago. Remember? The ad portrayed what looked like a soldier in camouflage looking through binoculars. The one-liner read: “In Sonora, we are looking for people from Arizona.” Very tasteful. This at a time when more than one family has been gunned down by Mexican soldiers in terribly tragic cases of mistaken identity. Perhaps Chihuahua can come up with something similar. We’ll save them the expensive consulting fees from advisors and market consultants and propose this: In Chihuahua, we are looking for people from Arizona. Come play (or die) with us. Complimentary wi-fi and life insurance with hotel stay.
Editorial mission statement Latino Perspectives creates community, cultivates cultural pride and provokes, challenges and connects Latinos who are defining, pursuing, and achieving the American Latino Dream.
INTRODUCING EVERYTHING YOU WANT. WITH THE ONE THING YOU NEED. AT&T and BlackBerry® have teamed up to evolve the smartphone. Brilliant touch screen, rich Web-browsing, predictive video search, Facebook and Twitter™ all on a single screen. Plus, access to group texting and apps at the flick of a finger. All designed to work seamlessly with a slide-out BlackBerry keyboard. ®
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Cancer is nonnegotiable. It knows no statute It does not act in
of limitations.
accordance with the law.
But now there are more options than ever for treatment. And I have hope.
Toby Brink - Cancer Patient Associate General Counsel, Banner Health
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Conversation starters from the world around us
12 LP Journal
Arizona’s new auxiliary bishop may have to ask himself, “What would Jesus do?”
16 Pocho
The fear of el agua
19 Rincón del arte
Norma Garcia-Torres has come full circle
i say... I’ve never done this before ... —Former U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., on announcing his endorsement of Democrat Andrei Cherney for state treasurer; Kolbe will also chair Cherney’s campaign
What are you afraid of, Jan?
Photo courtesy of asu
—Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard to Gov. Brewer, apropos of her refusal to participate in another debate
I can’t wait to have a porn star in office.
14 page
Author Reyna Grande will participate in Writers on Border Lines at ASU’s Great Hall October 21
www.latinopm.com
—“Nik” (Richie?) on www.thedirty.com, referring to Ben Quayle, who allegedly used the infamous handle “Brock Landers” when blogging for the raunchy website
¡ October 2010!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
11
¡!
LP journal
Goddard the Heroic? Better than a bobblehead puppet.
Send in the clowns With Gov. Jan Brewer shrewdly ducking political opponent Terry Goddard’s call for more debates, the two candidates for state governor are resorting to accusations, art and cartoonish images to inform Arizonans about the pressing, important challenges our state faces. Who can blame Brewer, after her debacle in the televised Clean Election debate on Sept. 1? The whole nation buzzed over the 16 seconds of dead air during her opening statement. Perhaps sensing Brewer’s reclusiveness, Goddard had put out an RFP to give five artists $1,000 each to create “a political work of art that celebrates, motivates and excites the electorate with the purpose of electing Terry Goddard to the office of Governor of Arizona.” Would you be excited by a painting of Goddard depicted as King Richard the Lion Heart leading a crusade of Democrats against the Republican enemy? Well, maybe that won’t be one of the submissions, 12
Latino Perspectives Magazine
¡ October 2010!
but the finalists may use their artwork as a metaphoric machete to try and chop down the polling results showing the elusive Brewer leading Goddard as the state’s favorite. Jan, for her part, hasn’t exactly been hiding under the cama. Brewer wasted no time in putting up a website called www.goddardiswrong.com that depicts Terry as a bobblehead puppet with strings being pulled by a slender black man in an expensive suit with a union button on the lapel. The black man’s head is cut off, but you quickly surmise that he is President Barack Obama. Brewer seems to have a thing about beheadings. Brewer says that Goddard is connected to the Service Employees International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers, unions that called for boycotts of Arizona after Brewer signed S.B. 1070, hence the sign in the bobblehead’s hand. “I think you ought to renounce your support and endorsement of the unions that are boycotting our state and www.latinopm.com
trying to drive our economy into the ground,” said Brewer, accusing Goddard during the only debate. Gee, Jan. Wasn’t it you who train-wrecked Arizona’s economy by signing Senate Bill 1070 and inviting the outrage that led to the multiple boycotts against our great state? The Arizona Republic’s AZ Fact Check investigated and found Brewer’s charge to be false. The two unions support Goddard, but he doesn’t support their boycotts. He even asked them to back off. Chalk it up as another Brewer, um, untruth. So, instead of a real debate about real issues confronting Arizona, voters get candidates clowning around.
What would Jesus do? No doubt the almost 500,000 registered Catholics in the Phoenix Diocese said prayers for Eduardo Alanis Nevares, the new auxiliary bishop who has joined the diocese during a tumultuous time, as it suffers criticism from all sides. Nevares, installed in an official ceremony last July, would seem to be welcome
relief for his new jefe, mediashy Rev. Thomas J. Olmstead, bishop of the diocese. While dodging interviews with the local press, Olmstead nonetheless is embroiled in the kinds of controversies conservative Arizona seems to sprout like prickly pear cactus: illegal immigration, gay marriage, abortion, and women being ordained as priests by offshoots of renegade Catholic churches. First, gay-rights advocates blasted the diocese for contributing $50,000 to an anti-gay marriage campaign while laying off diocese employees due to diminished collections and fundraising. Olmstead also came under fire from critics within his own faith when he excommunicated Sister Margaret McBride in May, after she admitted she approved the abortion of an 11-week pregnancy because it threatened the life of the mother. Catholic ethics experts criticized Olmstead for being too “policy driven” in articles in the National Catholic Reporter. In early September, the bishop condemned the
LP journal ordination of a woman priest by a former Catholic priest who recently resigned from the diocese. He called it a “scandalous act against the Catholic Church” policy of only inducting men as priests. Nevares, who was interviewed by Arizona media when he arrived, admits that as an “anchor baby” son of Mexican immigrants, one of his central roles is to address the immigration issues that Olmstead has been silent about, despite the growing population of immigrant Catholics counterbalancing the loss of parishioners from the church. In recent years, the Catholic Church has experienced a dramatic drop in membership, driven by old and new allegations of molestation by priests, not speaking out against the crackdown on undocumented immigrants, and the church’s unwillingness to recognize women as ecumenical equals. Nevares wasted no time in highlighting his diocesan assignment by getting directly involved in immigration reform. In an oblique reference to punishment-based treatment of illegal immigrants, in July Nevares commented to KJZZ radio reporter Nadine Arroyo Rodriguez, “Sometimes we treat our animals better than we do our fellow human beings.” Retention of Hispanics in the Catholic Church is another of his charges as assistant to Olmstead, Nevares told LP Journal. “I don’t want to be known as the Mexican bishop,” he said, but added that his bilingual, bicultural background and having been born and raised in San Antonio make it
easier to communicate with Hispanics. Father Jorge Rodriguez Eagar, a bishop in the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch, an independent offshoot of the Catholic Church, and founder of the Shrine of Holy Wisdom in Tempe, holds a position of spiritual leader for Spanishspeaking Hispanic churchgoers similar to Nevares. Eagar says that the offshoot churches see Catholic Church mandates as outdated and more dogma than doctrine. All people are children of God, he explains, and these religious organizations extend unconditional love to them whether they are immigrants, women, gay or lesbian. Eagar adds that his advice to Nevares is shepherding Latinos in Arizona, especially undocumented Mexicans, will take the Christ-like qualities of leadership, patience, tolerance and ability to bring reason to what has been an emotional and divisive debate on immigration in Arizona. “When confronted with challenges, he’ll have to ask himself: ‘What would Jesus do?’” says Eagar.
School board races: stages for activism, apathy Running for election to school boards is considered the “trenches” by novice políticos. After learning their craft setting policy for escuelas, oftentimes politicians become candidates for higher offices. Others consider the board seats boring and mostly babysitting predetermined budgets. But one trend now is for Latinos who want political careers to first run for school boards. Many times
candidatos are motivated to run because they have children who are attending schools in their district. The uptick in Hispanics vying for school board seats has resulted in Latinos running against Latinos in some districts. For example, in the hotly contested Roosevelt Elementary District, incumbent Jim Munoz Jr. is facing Victor Contreras, Jose Ochoa and Irma Moreno. In Isaac Elementary District, incumbents Sammy Leyva and Patricia Jimenez are up against challengers Ernest Contreras and Jose Villela for two seats. And in Cartwright Elementary District, incumbent Lydia Hernandez faces Steve Gallardo and Danny Wilcox. One político who is happy to see Latino candidates running for board seats is Robert Meza, long-time lawmaker in the state House from District 14. Now termed out, he is running unopposed for the Senate from that district. Meza is allied with the liberal Progressive Majority, which has a training center in Phoenix and is helping Latinos win school board campaigns. This group was organized to counter conservative officials across the country. Meza, a Democrat, has long been an advocate for Latinos looking to make their first run at public office in school elections. He and the Progressive Majority have mentored many sitting school board members, including his sister Liz Meza, who won election to the Phoenix Elementary governing board. “School boards are great training for Latinos who want www.latinopm.com
¡!
to enter politics,” Meza says. And with Latinos moving into a majority, liberal Latino officials can set progressive policies that will help rather then hurt Latino students, he says. And, Meza adds, school boards are where Hispanics can make the biggest difference now in influencing the future of the Latino community. But despite the growing importance of belonging to school boards, some school districts have vacant seats and no candidates. This fall, school board seats in Maricopa County’s south and west districts will be appointed rather than elected. The reason? The Maricopa County Supervisors voted in September to cancel uncontested elections to save money. Elementary school districts with a high percentage of Latino students but without school board candidates are Aguila, Tolleson, Alhambra, and Paloma Elementary. Three wards in the Phoenix Union High School District are also lacking school board candidates. While the county supervisors save a little money by appointing board members, the tragic reality is that representative democracy gets shortchanged. The appointment path also discourages any last-minute, write-in candidates. The irony is that some of these same school districts are receiving funding to educate Latino parents on how to be more active in their children’s educations. Sadly, the lack of Latino school board candidates demonstrates to the students a failure of leadership by Hispanic adults.
¡ October 2010!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
13
vibe
Charity is never out of style
In search of light There’s no doubt
Cuban-American designer Robert Rodriguez has
designed a limited-edition t-shirt for Nordstrom in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The fancy tee will be sold exclusively at the department store and at www.nordstrom.com from September 15 to October 15. The feather-andlace t-shirt is dressy enough for cocktail attire and retails for $225. Before you pass judgment on the price tag, consider this: All after-cost proceeds will benefit Project MANA’s Hermanitas mentoring program. MANA is a national Latina organization founded in 1974. It focuses on leadership development, community service and advocacy for Latina women.
Get more Vibe at www.latinopm.com
Writers on Border Lines
Regents’ Professor of English at ASU. His book, Capirotada: A Nogales Memoir, about growing up on the Mexico-Arizona border, was the 2009 OneBookAZ selection. Green Sterling is an award-winning journalist and currently the writer-in-residence at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Her recently published book, Illegal: Life and Death in Arizona’s Immigration War Zone, takes an in-depth look at the people who navigate the system on a daily basis. Don’t miss it: October 21, 7:45p.m. Great Hall, ASU Tempe Campus. For more details, visit www.asu.edu/piper.
ASU’s Virginia G. Piper Center for
Creative Writing will host a reading and conversation with authors Reyna Grande, Alberto Ríos and Terry Greene Sterling on October 21 at the Tempe campus. The writers will read from their works and will share their personal views on immigration and border crossing, followed by an open discussion. Evelyn Haydee Cruz, director of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Immigration Law and Policy Clinic at Arizona State University, will also join the discussion. Grande is the author of two novels, including the critically acclaimed Across a Hundred Mountains, for which she won the 2007 American Book Award. Ríos is a Alberto Ríos
14
Latino Perspectives Magazine
¡ October 2010!
that Mother Theresa, Desmond Tutu, Martin Luther King and St. John the Apostle have inspired many individuals and artists throughout the world. The Sonoran Desert Chorale will honor these great figures in two performances of a unique concert for Valley residents, inspired by some of history’s most enlightened men and women. Aptly entitled In Search of Light, the concert will include renditions of British composer James Whitbourn’s stunning choral piece, Luminosity, which explores the prayers and teachings of St. John the Apostle and Zen Buddhist Ryonen, among others. MLK, written by U2 to honor Martin Luther King Jr., will also be performed. The concert is on October 9 at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Mesa and October 10 at 3:00 p.m. at Valley Presbyterian Church in Paradise Valley. To buy tickets ($12 - $15) call 480-305-4538 or visit www.sonorandesertchorale.org.
www.latinopm.com
top left photo courtesy of nordstrom; bottom photo courtesy of asu
¡!
vibe
A documented victory for justice By Gary Francisco Keller, Ph.D.
Oscar Vásquez
has finally returned home to Arizona! One small victory for justice, one quantum leap for undocumented students, of which nearly 60,000 graduate from high school each year. In August, I described Oscar’s plight. He was on the legendary 2005 team that won a national underwater robotics competition, sending MIT to second place. In 2009, he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and received special recognition from commencement speaker President Barack Obama and ASU President Michael Crow. Then Oscar voluntarily returned to Mexico and applied to legally reenter the country. On August 30, 2010, after 361 days away from his wife and daughter, both U.S. citizens, Oscar was authorized to permanently return home. Kudos to Homeland Security and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which reviewed Oscar’s case and found it meritorious. Justice prevailed for Oscar, but only with the help of extraordinary publicity and political energy. Joshua Davis got it started with his poignant article in Wired (April 2005), “La Vida Robot.” The achievements of Oscar’s team were highlighted by Nightline host George Stephanopoulos. His plight also received major coverage by Richard Ruelas in the Arizona Republic. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin even pushed for an expedited government review.
¡!
Lola's Voicemail:
Lesbian liberal vampires and jihad against Arizona? State Rep. Pearce: Since I have been
reading everywhere, and I mean e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e, that you said President Obama is waging a jihad against Arizona, I want to ask you if this is true. A holy war? Holy cow … Are you serious, de verdad ? Where have I been all this time? I hadn’t noticed the president was engaged in a jihad. I know you don’t like him, but a holy war? That’s in a completely different category. You recently said at a Tea Party event that the Obama administration’s mention of S.B. 1070 in a report to the UN Human Rights Council goes “beyond malfeasance of office.” Then you add, “Who would have thought we would have a president who would side with a foreign government against Arizona?” Um, let me see. Are you trying to imply the president is not American? Or that his loyalties are elsewhere … as in a foreign nation? Mr. Pearce, you are starting to sound a lot like Anne Coulter. But maybe that’s what you are aiming for. I don’t know why I’m surprised since you were a primary sponsor of S.B. 1158, aka the “Birther” bill, which calls for presidential candidates to prove their citizenship. Oh, my. Then, in your letter asking patriots to support the organization Ban Amnesty Now, you claim, “For once, we have the open-borders, pro-amnesty liberals on the run! But from the White House to the Congress, to amnesty groups like La Raza to the Washington Establishment lobbyists, they will all do and say anything to pass amnesty.” Ahem, say again? Aren’t you doing the exact same thing to push your agenda? On your newly redesigned website, you shed some light on what propels your fears, but I’m not sure what you say is true: “We have already lost our language; everything must be printed
in Spanish. We have already lost our history, since it is no longer taught in our schools.” And my favorite part: “Maybe it is too late to save America. Maybe we are not worthy of freedom anymore.” You should consider having Carmina Burana automatically play every time someone visits your website. It will put your supporters in the right mood. I also read you called Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon “an anarchist.” Too funny. Did you mean to say Antichrist? Maybe you’ve been watching too much Billy Bob Neck. You know, the “patriot” who claims that Rachel Maddow is a lesbian vampire trying to brainwash America with her radical ideology? Billy Bob backs your idea to deny citizenship to the U.S.-born offspring of undocumented aliens. Billy Bob thinks Obama’s plan is to fight for these U.S.-born babies to have citizenship so they can grow up liberals and vote for Obama and make him King, just like Sadam Hussein. He hasn’t said the president is waging a holy war against Arizona, but he does call him Barrack Obohomobinladen. You may want to friend him on facebook or visit his patriotic site, www.billybobneck.com. One more similarity between you and Billy Bob: You are both genius marketers. Keep up the fear mongering. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to review the consequences of your actions when you arrive in heaven. Last, but not least, I know you’ll be participating in a Ban Amnesty Now “tele-town hall” where people can pay $15 to call in and hear what you have to say. That’s brilliant. You could easily up the price to $30 and add “Help me help Jesus help you,” like Billy Bob Neck does to request donations. That’s all, Mr. Senator. Vaya con Dios.
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A documented victory for justice continued from previous page
In an April 2009 policy brief, the College Board concluded that undocumented students in the U.S.A. are trapped in a legal paradox. They have a legal right to primary and secondary education and are generally allowed to go to college, but in Arizona and elsewhere, have been dehumanized by laws denying them financial aid with public funds. The College Board endorsed the DREAM Act on moral, humanitarian, and economic grounds. Our nation already ensures their K-12 education. Check out the DREAM Act on the websites of Democratic Senator Durbin and Republican Senator Richard Lugar, who co-introduced this bipartisan legislation. It now has 40 co-sponsors in the Senate. The 2010 DREAM Act (Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors) grants legal status to immigrants who entered the country as children and graduate from college or joined the military. The Department of Defense has judged the act as “very appealing” and “good for readiness.” Schools, universities and teachers support it as does the National Council of La Raza, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and CEOs of major companies like Microsoft and Pfizer. President Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano strongly support the DREAM Act. It is the only immigration reform legislation the Obama administration has endorsed, with realistic prospects for passage. Arizona Senators McCain and Kyl are not on board yet. Meanwhile, in Arizona, we’re gonna celebrate and have a good time. A party was held at Carl Hayden High School in September for Oscar Vásquez and robotics classmate Cindy Villa, who also triumphed over similar challenges. The intrepid Joshua Davis is still on the documentation prowl, working toward realizing a film adaptation of the story. Oscar’s story is a good and just ending for a movie that could be this decade’s Stand and Deliver. May Oscar’s character win the Oscar. 16
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Pocho keen
Like peachy keen, pero different
The fear of el agua What do you call four Mexicans
swimming? Cuatro, sinko. Ba-dum-bum! Odds are if you’re reading this and you’re Latino, you can’t swim. But don’t worry; at least you’re in good company. A recent study by USA Swimming reports that a whopping 58 percent of Latino children can’t swim or have poor swimming skills, a number that is sure to increase when you lump in adults. So why is it, then, that they say we all swam over here? Some of us can laugh at jokes poking fun at our buoyancy; others may get ticked. But we can’t deny that as a culture, our floating abilities are lacking. We’re not exactly teeming with Mark Spitzes. It’s Michael Phelps, not Miguel Phelps. This is not to say we don’t have a rich tradition of grace in the water. I still remember watching as a kid with nervous anticipation and pride, the graceful (if somewhat un poco loco) Acapulco cliff divers on Saturday afternoons on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. In competition with American divers, they would risk life and limb and dive from as high as 85 feet. But come to think of it, I don’t recall ever seeing them swim back to shore. Hmm. Were they
Do you have something pocho, peachy or keen to say? Send it to pochokeen@latinopm.com.
vibe
Contact Pocho Keen
¡!
towed back to safety on old tire tubes? Still, the question remains. Why can’t we swim at the levels most others can? Is it because, like me, we didn’t own swimming trunks? Was it because the public pool didn’t let us in wearing our cut-off Levi’s? Is it because we don’t like to take our clothes off in public and why we get in the water wearing shirts? Whatever the reasons were in the past, the numbers need to change. I myself am learning to swim. I can get the swimming-back-and-forth part, it’s the treading-water part that makes me think of that damn joke. It’s also why I regularly take my three-month-old boy in the water. He loves it. While he doesn’t formally start his swimming lessons for a few more months, he’s already acclimated to the water. He floats easily (his mom’s genes, I presume) and kicks his legs (seemingly) instinctively. He’s my little Mark Spitz. The report suggests that it is not necessarily socioeconomic conditions that attribute to the high number of non-swimmers as much as a fear of drowning. And not just the child’s fear. Some parents who participated in the study admitted they would not let their children take swimming lessons even if the lessons were free. Understandable, but fear of drowning is all the more reason to learn to swim. I think about it every time I step into the water with my son. And then we float.
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rincón del arte
¡!
Community minded Norma Garcia-Torres, painter
Originally from … Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico and raised in the Southwest. My family lived in Texas, New Mexico, California and finally Arizona.
In Arizona since …
1971. I came to attend ASU as an art major and earned a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s in public administration. I have worked in social services for most of my life. I retired in 2009. Now I am a full-time artist and consulting part time. Really, my life has come full circle.
Why art? I love painting and the creative process.
Photo: Charles Sanderson
My hope is to combine two of my passions: creating art and helping others and the community. This is why a portion of the sales of my art and items sold on my website are donated to charity.
Creating art since … I was a child. My interest and passion for art has been present from the time I was a little girl growing up in a large, extended family. My art comes from those childhood experiences in Mexico, growing up in the Southwest and the memories of my grandmother telling her stories.
Artist you’d like to meet: I admire the artists from the 1900s that, as a group, worked together to influence the direction of the Mexican culture through an art movement. Siqueiros, Rivera, Kahlo and Orozco worked to educate the masses through public art. Their artistic styles and the force of their ideas had great influence in Mexican and American painting.
Past exhibits: Mujeres Brillantes: The Shining Stars of the Community, Xico Gallery, Chandler, December 11, 2009; Cesar Chavez, Sí Se Puede, ALAC La Galería, Phoenix, March 27, 2010.
On the horizon: The Strength We Hold, Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale, August 19, 2010.
Website: www.normagarcia-torres.com Artwork from top: Sol de Vida; Charra; Bailando con el Sol www.latinopm.com
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Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Thursday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m. Backed by live music, this all-female dance ensemble from Cuba performs with fiery passion and uncanny precision. Tickets start at $34
Presented in partnership with the City of Scottsdale and sponsored by American Express Additional support from
Spanish Harlem Orchestra Outdoors at Scottsdale Civic Center Amphitheater
Friday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m.
A CELEBRATION
New York’s hottest salsa band turns up the temperature at this outdoor concert. All tickets $25
OF HISPANIC AND LATIN CULTURE
Sat. and Sun., Nov. 6 and 7, Noon – 6 p.m. Outdoors next to Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
FREE ADMISSION ,ATIN -USIC s $ANCING s !RTS s &OOD AND $RINK #HILDREN S !CTIVITIES s -ERCADO
Chita Rivera Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
CALL: 480.994.ARTS (2787) Ext. 2 CLICK: ScottsdalePerformingArts.org VISIT: 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale
Saturday, November 6 @ 8 p.m. This Broadway legend performs a special ‘AllAmerican Songbook’ with her 3-piece band. Tickets start at $39
Catherine Anaya
¡!
image courtesy of phoenix art museum
Anaya says
Lena Jácome and Martin Gaxiola of the Chris Burton Jácome Flamenco Ensemble
Flamenco Night Latin American Art Alliance (LAAA), a nonprofit support organization of
the Phoenix Art Museum will present “Flamenco Night at the Museum” on November 17, 2010, featuring the Phoenix-based Chris Burton Jácome Flamenco Ensemble. The event includes a special tour of museum works by Latin-American artists, a cocktail reception featuring tapas appetizers, cash bar, and the Burton Jácome Ensemble performance. Chris Burton Jácome is one of the most acclaimed flamenco guitarists in the United States, wowing audiences across the nation ever since his return from living in Seville, Spain, where he studied flamenco from the masters of this genre. “I enjoy bringing the drama of gypsy life, creating a whirlwind of sound filled with passion, grace and fire,” says Burton Jácome. Tickets are $35 per person and available at www.laaa-phxart.com. The reception starts at 6 p.m., followed by the art tour. The show will begin at 7 p.m. Don’t miss it. Latino Perspectives Magazine’s own Olivia Rojas will perform with the ensemble. Rojas, who has also studied her craft in la madre patria, has been singing cante for over 15 years and is a master of her craft. Olé!
Fear in your favor By Catherine Anaya
I was recently asked to speak at a
Fearless Women’s Day event about what makes me a fearless woman. It’s certainly not walking through life without fear. I fear for my children’s safety; for the welfare of the people around me. I fear not having the ability to provide for myself and my family. But what makes a woman fearless, I think, is how we use our experiences to empower ourselves to face fear head on; using it to make us stronger, better, smarter and, yes, fearless. I was extremely shy in high school. When I turned out to be the only one of seven girls who tried out for the cheerleading squad and didn’t make it, I feared the embarrassment of going to school the next day. Fearlessness is what gave me the courage two years later to try out again, knowing I had to go in and wow those judges and leave my insecurities and fear at the door. I made the squad and got my first real lesson in why I simply can’t let fear stand in the way of fulfilling my goals. When one of my high school teachers found out I got into the University of Southern California, he told me, “It’s only because you’re Hispanic and they need to fill their minority quota.” Fear made me momentarily second-guess myself. Fearlessness made me send him an invitation to my USC graduation. When I started looking for my first TV reporting job, I received several rejections. Fear might’ve made me rethink my talent and ambition. Fearlessness made me keep pounding
the pavement until that first job offer came along. It was for a morning anchor job, a rare offer for someone starting out. When seven years later I was demoted and asked to vacate my desk for my replacement, fear could have made me take the offer to opt out of my contract a year early. Fearlessness gave me strength to walk in every day for the remaining year and use the time to hone my reporting skills, which not only resulted in my first Emmy Award but caught the attention of a Los Angeles television station leading to my next job. Four years later at five months pregnant and the family breadwinner, I was told my contract wasn’t being renewed. My fear was heightened. Pregnant, out of a job and not sure where or when my career would get back on track, I fell into a deep depression. I cried for 30 days straight, finding it tough to even pull myself out of bed each day. Returning to fearlessness wasn’t easy. But I eventually found the faith and strength to believe that my family and I would be OK. I’m convinced that trusting and believing in myself and my abilities, embracing true fearlessness, is what led to the call from CBS 5 News just days after giving birth to my son, leading to what has become the best seven-plus years of my professional and personal life. I’ve discovered that being fearless isn’t about walking through life unafraid. It’s about having the courage to admit that you are afraid – and then figuring out how to make that fear work for you, not against you. www.latinopm.com
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Dispelling the myths of
An interactive exhibition tackles the topic at the Arizona Science Center By Georgann Yara
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Photos courtesy of Arizona Science Center, PHOTOS BY WING YOUNG HUIE
H
ispanic. Latino. Hispanic Non-White … or Black. Other. For such a little word, race can raise a lot of questions, confusion and sometimes frustration over feeling reduced to a checkmark in a box on a piece of paper. And while the topic of racism can make people uneasy and is considered inappropriate to discuss at social functions or in mixed company, an exhibition that combines science and art is poised to prove otherwise. The exhibition RACE: Are We So Different? will come to the Arizona Science Center this month on its national tour, which has sparked conversations and inspired self-examinations across the country for the last three years. Real people’s first-person accounts about how race has impacted their lives add a powerful facet to the exhibition. Rounding it out are hands-on activities, historical artifacts, iconic objects, compelling photographs and multimedia presentations. RACE aims to dispel the many myths created over the decades about
“Historically, the concept of race was imported into biology ... from social practice.”
ethnicity, such as the biological characteristics that are often associated with specific races. “The concept of race is not based on biology. It’s a cultural concept,” says Arlene Torres, director of the Latino Faculty Initiative at the City University of New York and one of the key advisors of the RACE project. “In spite of the fact that race is not biological, it does have profound cultural implications. It has a profound effect on people’s access to resources in society.” One piece of the exhibition that Torres believes will hit home with Latinos centers on the U.S. Census form. A photograph depicts young people wearing t-shirts printed with categories of how people were racially defined based on that year’s Census. “When it comes to the Latino population, we look at the t-shirt [and see] how differently we are defined and what the implications are,” says Torres. Originally, the U.S. model was black and white – literally. Over time, more “categories” of citizens from nations all over the world moved into the country.
—Richard Lewontin, geneticist
Inevitably, defining race was not so simple. Seeing it broken down into cold words and rigid categories not only raises questions about ethnicity, but also brings about hyper awareness of skin color.
Breaking RACE down When the American Anthropological Association mulled over ways to make anthropology more relevant to the public, recurring ideas centered on the issue of race, says Yolanda Moses, professor of anthropology at the University of California at Riverside and RACE project co-chair. www.latinopm.com
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Key Points ... ... to consider after experiencing RACE: Are We So Different? as suggested by Arlene Torres, director, Latino Faculty Initiative, The City University of New York: Over the history of race relations in this country, race has developed into much more than a black-and-white paradigm.
•
• Racial categories aren’t fixed. We as
human beings have the power to change these categories and to challenge them in our effort to promote equality. Ultimately, the challenge of the exhibition is to remind us of that.
• Latinos should ask themselves the
question, “What does it mean to be AfroLatino?” And how do we as part of a broader Latino community across the Americas consider the place of Afro-Latinos, historically and contemporaneously?
After getting grant funding in 2000, the plan was set in motion. The exhibition debuted at the Science Museum of Minnesota three years ago and has made stops across the country ever since. The exhibition and its components help audiences focus on race as it pertains to science and biology, history and laws, as well as how race and racism figure into everyday life. “The whole idea is to have people talk about the issue with a shared understanding of what the facts are. Everyone has a different opinion of what race is and what it is not,” Moses says. In addition to the exhibition at the Arizona Science Center, educational materials are available for teachers so they can continue a productive discussion in the classroom. What started out as a project that would reach out to children and teachers quickly attracted the attention of other demographics and touched a broader audience. “We wanted to reach teachers and students. We felt the next generation of young people was the one to tackle the problem [of racism],” Moses says. She believes the next generation has already begun to respect people’s differences rather
than discriminate because of them. “We provided the intellectual framework and found it appealed to more than teachers and students. Everyone was interested.” One longstanding presumption of race is that certain illnesses are specific to a racial group, such as sickle cell anemia, which has been linked to African Americans. It is actually a disease that strikes where malaria has been endemic, not a particular ethnic group. “[This stereotyping] has a lot to do with who gets treated for what,” Moses says. “Even though we say there is no such thing as biological race, people still act as if it’s a true statement.” Old laws that restricted people of color geographically have contributed to stereotyping and have exacerbated racism. So have academic programs biased against those assumed to be lower achievers, and banking policies that take race into consideration when reviewing loan applications. “The way [we] have learned about these issues has been enforced through science, religion and laws,” says Moses. “The civil rights movement wrote out laws, but the beliefs that people have … [don’t] shift by changing the law.”
Project facts Special offer for Latino Perspectives readers!
• More than 1.5 million people have visited the RACE Project. • The program conveys three overall messages: Race is a recent human invention; race is about culture, not biology; race and racism are embedded in institutions and everyday life.
In celebration of our 6th anniversary readers can receive discounted $6.00 general admission.
• The 5,000-square foot exhibition debuted January 2007 at the Science Museum of Minnesota. It began a national tour of the United States in May 2007, and is booked through 2013.
• The American Anthropological Association developed the program and received nearly Present this issue at the Admissions counter. Limit 2. Not valid with other discounts or offers. Valid Oct. 1-31, 2010. Code: 211.
$4.5 million in grants from the Ford Foundation and National Science Foundation to produce the traveling exhibit, website and educational materials.
• The project was in development for more than five years in collaboration with scientists, scholars and other science and humanities organizations.
Sources: Race Project website, the American Anthropological Association.
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RACE in Arizona The RACE project fits in with the Arizona Science Center’s mission to inspire, educate and entertain all ages about science, which made the exhibition a natural addition to its lineup. “We thought it would be a great opportunity for people here in Arizona. It’s a powerful exhibition that examines the scientific, historic and cultural aspects of race,” says Kristin Priscella, vice president of external affairs for the science center. The science center is in the process of renovating the galleries on the ground floor, which hold exhibitions about the human body and pair nicely with RACE. Priscella has seen the exhibition in Philadelphia and says the combination of hands-on experiences and educational material makes it unique. The fact that it is suitable for young children and senior citizens also adds to its appeal. The science center has dedicated 10,000 square feet to the program, which will allow for a robust presentation.
Science of Race Series Learn more about the science of race. Free with general admission; suggested for ages 12 and up.
Arizona Science Center and Arizona State University are looking into hosting adult lectures on the race myth and on early childhood anti-bias curriculum, and may partner with local cultural and anthropological organizations to complement the project. After having experienced RACE herself, Priscella believes the personal stories from participants of all ages are key components that will touch audience members. “To hear those perceptions and comments from real people and to read them within the framework of the exhibition was so powerful for me,” says Priscella. Much time and consideration was spent on making sure the exhibition was not offensive or come across as critical. “It’s not preachy. It’s told in so many people’s voices,” says Moses. “It’s presented so people want to understand who they are in terms of the human chain of existence.” Because the program’s presentation is within the
framework of science, history and culture, it is designed to deliver a personal experience for each visitor. “Families can come and view the exhibition and have those discussions. It doesn’t frame any issue in a particular way and it provides that scientific and historical perspective,” Priscella says. “Visitors’ personal experiences are going to be shaped [based] on their perspectives coming into the exhibition. Combined with what they get here, it will be interesting to see if those perspectives change when they leave.”
“[Racism] is not about how you look, it is about how people assign meaning to how you look.” —Robin D.G. Kelley, historian
Oct. 10, 2-3 p.m. Nappy Edges and Goldy Locks: African Americans and the Politics of Hair, by Dr. Neal Lester, Arizona State University. An interactive presentation exploring the complex racial and gender identity politics associated with African Americans and hair. Oct. 23, 2-3 p.m. The Science Behind Skin Color, by Dr. Karen Hastings, Department of Basic Medical Sciences at The University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix, presented in partnership with The BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona. Nov. 13, 2-3:30 p.m. Panel discussion: Impact of Race Issues on Children’s Development. Panelists include Beatriz Arias, Arizona State University; Annapurna Ganesh, Mesa Community College; Pamela Powell, Northern Arizona University and other experts.
RACE: Are We So Different? October 10, 2010 through January 11, 2011 Arizona Science Center, 600 E. Washington St., Phoenix Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days Exhibition is free with paid admission. Information: (602) 716-2000, or www.azscience.org www.latinopm.com
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Local leaders Cox Communications and Latino Perspectives recognize Latino leaders For the sixth consecutive year, Cox Communications celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by paying tribute to outstanding members of our community and showcasing their contributions in 30-second public service announcements on Cox Channels.
The spots started running in September and will continue to air through mid-October. This year, Latino Perspectives Magazine is proud to partner with Cox Communications in saluting these accomplished individuals.
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Terri Leon
Michael Maria Elena Nowakowski Coronado
Terri Leon was recently appointed as interim CEO of Friendly House. She has also served the nonprofit agency as its COO and has overseen delivery of services to over 40,000 families each year. Terri has worked in the education and nonprofit fields for over 23 years and is a member of the Board of People of Color Network, and the Personnel Board for the City of Glendale. She was selected by the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust as a Piper Fellow in 2007 and that same year she was also recognized by the Glendale Chamber Foundation with the Diversity Award.
Michael Nowakowski is vice mayor and councilmember of the City of Phoenix. He represents the 7th District and is a current member of the City’s Public Safety and Veterans Subcommittee and the Seniors, Family and Parks Subcommittee. He’s also the vice president of Communications of Radio Campesina, a network of 10 nonprofit Spanishlanguage radio stations. Last month, Nowakowski received the 2010 Valle del Sol Profiles of Success Exemplary Leadership Award for his contributions to the community and our state.
Marie Elena Coronado is a student success coordinator at Arizona State University. In this capacity, she serves first-year students to ensure a seamless transition into the university and coordinates programs opportunities to support student retention. She’s also the program coordinator for LINK@ASU, a first-year summer transition program, and serves as advisor to a number of student organizations. Through her efforts, students have taken on the challenge to experience opportunities outside the classroom and have been admitted to programs such as Inroads, the Peace Corps, SEO and Teach for America.
Lea MarquezPeterson Lea Marquez-Peterson is the president and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is also the designated broker/owner of www. tucsonbizforsale.com, which assists clients with confidential business sales and business valuations. Lea has served as the executive director of the Greater Tucson Leadership, as founder and chair of the Pima County Small Business Commission, and as chair of the City of Tucson’s Small Business Commission. She is a past president of the local chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and has been recognized with multiple awards including the 2007 Entrepreneurial Fellowship Award by University of Arizona’s McGuire Entrepreneurship program and the 2007 Woman of Influence Award presented by Inside Tucson Business.
Celestino Fernández, Ph.D. Dr. Celestino Fernández is the director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Sociology at the University of Arizona where he also serves as sociology professor. A graduate of Stanford University, he has published extensively in his field. Dr. Fernandez was instrumental in the creation of San Miguel High School, a Tucson collegeprep school serving underprivileged students. He has served on the board of directors of the University of Phoenix, the Arizona Virtual Academy, and La Frontera Center, Inc. He has been recognized for his outstanding work and is one of only five individuals to have received UA’s honorific title of Distinguished Outreach Professor.
Tillie Arvizu Tillie Arvizu serves as vice president of Southeastern Arizona for Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. (CPLC). Her first interaction with the agency was over 20 years ago, when she sought help after her husband was laid off and she found herself as the head of household supporting two small children. Tillie was instrumental in developing CPLC’s acclaimed Affordable Housing Program, which has helped thousands of individuals realize their dream of homeownership. She has served on the University of Arizona’s Hispanic Advisory Council and the Tucson PD Chief’s Steering Committee. Her dedication and community service have earned her numerous awards including the LULAC 2010 Presidential Citation Community Service Award and YWCA’s Women on the Move Award.
Maria Celaya
Cox Internacional
Maria Teresita Celaya is a bilingual trainer for Cox Communications in Southern Arizona, where she provides support to the bilingual team and designs and teaches curriculum for adult learners. Maria has built a career at Cox. Since she first joined the company in 1989, she has held different positions including team leader and operations trainer. Maria graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arizona with a degree in Spanish Linguistics. In addition to her successful professional career at Cox, Maria has a passion for helping children. She spends her free time volunteering as the “neighborhood homework mom,” ensuring that neighborhood children have a safe place to go after school.
Cox Internacional is Cox Arizona’s Spanish Language Customer Care Team serving Arizona, Louisiana, Omaha and Florida. The group has grown from 18 members to over 60 in just a few years, mirroring the growth of the state’s Hispanic market. This diverse group is also focused on leadership development; toward that goal, the team has created the Líder program to help train and develop líderes within the company. The group is active in giving back to the community. Throughout the year they participate in food drives to help replenish local food banks and volunteer with nonprofits such as Reading Across America, Packages for Troops, and AdoptA-Family during the holidays.
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37 Entrepreneur Julliana Garten goes from architect to shoe designer
39Briefcase
To incorporate or not to incorporate?
43 Career
Honing marketable skills through a trade school
Movin’ Up Castro Thompson joins Hospice of the Valley
Photo courtesy of hospice of the valley
Anabell Castro Thompson has joined Hospice of the Valley as Hispanic community liaison and nurse practitioner. She and colleague Maria Rebozo will promote the not-for-profit agency that provides end-of-life care to the Hispanic community. Thompson also serves on the board of Susan G. Komen’s Phoenix affiliate as education director and is past president of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses’ Valle del Sol/Phoenix chapter.
Anabelle Castro Thompson, Hospice of the Valley’s new liaison for the Hispanic community
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¡!
movin’ up Success Programs. Castañeda was previously the district director of the Nina Scholars Program. In her new role, she will lead some of the programs for at-risk students such as foster youth, minority male, Project Challenge and the Nina Scholars. She will also help to implement the 21st Century Dual Enrollment Initiative.
laws. She has extensive experience representing clients before the NLRB and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Valdivia chosen for inaugural HBNA class and ACC project
Susana Ibarra-Johnson
First Things First reaches out to include two new liasons Susana Ibarra-Johnson and Angela Rabago-Mussi have joined First Things First as community outreach liaisons. They will work toward raising awareness about the importance of early childhood development and health throughout Central Phoenix and the northwest and southwest Maricopa regions, respectively. Prior to joining First Things First, Ibarra-Johnson worked with the Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix. RabagoMussi has been a freelance writer for local publications, including Latino Perspectives Magazine, and is actively involved in education advocacy. First Things First programs focus on early childhood development and are made possible through a citizenapproved, dedicated revenue stream using tobacco taxes. Castañeda takes on Student Success Programs Monica Castañeda is the new coordinator of Maricopa Community College’s Student
Dawn C. Valdivia, a partner in the national law firm Quarles and Brady Phoenix office, has been selected to the inaugural class of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) and the Association of the Corporate Counsel’s (ACC) pilot project, “Value-Based Skills: Equipping the Next Generation of Latina Corporate Practice Leaders.” Valdivia represents clients in cases of workplace discrimination, employee discipline and termination, employer policies, and compliance with state and federal labor and employment
Dawn C. Valdivia
Laura Franco French
Franco French to lead PWC Laura Franco French has been appointed chair of the Phoenix Women’s Commission (PWC). A member since 2005 and vice chair for the last year, Franco French will chair PWC for a year term. Franco French is the director of communications and community development for the Arizona Office of Tourism. The Phoenix Women’s Commission provides advocacy and consultation on economic, political and social issues facing women, and is part of the National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW). Ruiz to manage Qwest Hispanic marketing Rebeca Ruiz has been hired as marketing communications manager at Qwest Multicultural Marketing. Ruiz will oversee advertising campaigns,
Movin’ Up Know someone who has been promoted, elected or honored? Send us the news of their achievements! E-mail movinup@latinopm.com 34
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agency management and translations. Prior to this position, Ruiz was senior manager of multicultural marketing at Home Depot; senior advertising manager, Hispanic Marketing Group at AT&T Mobility, and was marketing director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. Mr. Chavez goes to Washington Maryvale High junior Fernando Chavez will spend a semester in the U.S. House of Representatives. After a competitive selection process, Chavez, 16, was appointed to be a House page based on a nomination from his congressman, U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz. Chavez, who started his junior year at Maryvale High School this fall, will attend school and work on Capitol Hill as part of the House Page Program.
Santaella-Wolfe receives FSW scholarship ASU graduate student and Mexico native Samantha Santaella-Wolfe was awarded the inaugural Factors Southwest Entrepreneurial Scholarship. An accomplished entrepreneur and founder of a language school in her hometown, SantaellaWolfe was selected for her entrepreneurial spirit and for overcoming tremendous obstacles in her life and educational journey to get to this point. She is pursuing her master’s degree in public administration.
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A logical progression
entrepreneur ¡! ¡!
Julliana Garten, founder and creative director of J.Garten Shoes & Accessories Elevator pitch: J.Garten Shoes and Accessories are fun, affordable luxury for the woman with sophisticated taste.
Tell us about your path from architect to shoe designer. As an architect, I was constantly designing products that make life easier and more comfortable. Much of my time was spent designing stores, so eventually I realized that fashion design was a great fit. The transition from designing a piece of furniture or an interior space to designing fashionable shoes and accessories was a logical progression in my mind.
Where are J.Garten shoes and bags made and sold?
admire their innovative product packaging and marketing.
Favorite designers:
For fashion, Marc Jacobs; for shoes, Christian Louboutin. They are both innovative, creative, authentic and modern.
In fashion, what is the best business sense? At this moment, I believe that the concept of “fast fashion” is the smartest way to go. The economy is forcing people to watch what they spend, and stores like H&M and Zara make fashion available to everybody.
Book that inspired you the most: Gucci by Gucci
They are made in Brazil and sold in the U.S.A. and Brazil.
Historical figure you would like to meet: Frank Lloyd Wright
Living the life of an entrepreneur …
Important business milestone: Media recognition after
takes me places I dreamed about going as a child. I am able to create my visions and work as my own boss on my own schedule.
Companies you admire: Victoria’s
Phoenix Fashion Week 2009.
Advice to other budding entrepreneurs: Whatever you do, do it with your heart. Always be authentic and creative, because that’s the key to standing out. Make every concept different and keep your business unique.
Secret and Apple. They are consistently producing original, creative and high-quality products. I also
Best advice: Never give up. Plans for the future:
We launch our first handbag collection in spring 2011. We plan to open the first J.Garten concept store in Brazil, and develop J.Garten into a worldwide brand.
Biggest entrepreneurial challenges: Being responsible for all decisions and the consequences of those decisions; making sure that I am always doing the right thing for the business, and recognizing the latest trend before it becomes popular.
www.jgarten.net
LPM’s Entrepreneur profile is sponsored by
Suggest an entrepreneur
Send your information to editor@latinopm.com.
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National Presenting Sponsor
¡! ¡!
:
Small business, big decisions Does your company warrant incorporation? By Jonathan Higuera
So, you want to start a business – tight-fisted
consumers and the dour economy be damned. You have a good business plan and you want to give it a try. Among the many decisions you’ll have to make along the way is one that could affect your personal assets as well as your investment in the business at hand. To incorporate or not to incorporate? That, dear reader, is the question. Before you decide it’s just too much hassle and cost to incorporate your business, you might want to first consider the advantages and disadvantages. The fact is, by not setting up a corporate structure or limited-liability company, you could be putting your personal assets at risk, like your house and your personal savings, if things were to go terribly wrong.
Options abound By not incorporating, you would likely be operating as a sole proprietor. While it’s relatively easy to start and get out of a business under that structure, you could face personal liability if a customer were to sue you, for example. If you lost a judgment, you might have to pay with whatever assets you have available, personal ones included. “A lot of people are barely hanging on,” says Ed Villanueva, principal partner of Villanueva and Company, a Valley accounting firm. “They won’t consider an extra dollar of expense. But it may be the cheapest thing you can do to wrap a corporate shield around you. Sometimes they find out too late.” On the downside of a corporate structure, you will likely face more administrative and operating costs. After all, you will need to have an annual meeting of shareholders (or members if you are a limited liability company), keep separate bank accounts, maintain accounting and other records, and pay wages, even if the sole owner is the only employee.
When starting a business, you generally have several ways to structure your business. Most common are sole proprietorship, C corporation, S corporation, limited liability company (LLC), general partnership or limited partnership. The form that is best for your company is answered by that maddening response: “It depends.” It depends on a number of factors, such as just how much legal liability you expect your business to face; how you want to pay your taxes, or whether you have partners and/or investors. Por ejemplo, a writer of children’s books may face far less exposure to legal liability than the owner of a lawn service. Therefore, a sole proprietorship may be just fine. But if you own a gardening service and one of your lawnmowers shoots out a rock and strikes a passerby in the eye, the resulting lawsuit could be devastating. “One of the things you have to do in this society is position yourself for adverse legal consequences,” says Villanueva, who started his accounting firm in 1993 after a long career with Ernst and Young. “A slip and fall, and www.latinopm.com
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¡! ¡!
briefcase
someone can go after you, both business and personal assets. Because of that, you have to think of a legal shield that isolates your personal assets from your business assets.” In the United States, the difference between owning a corporation and owning a business in your own name is huge, he
The Healing Starts Here ƛȯɀȷȼȵ˴ΎƛȽȻȾȯɁɁȷȽȼȯɂȳΎ ƞɃȼȳɀȯȺΎƫȳɀɄȷȱȳɁΎ ȯɂΎƙˎȽɀȲȯȰȺȳΎƨɀȷȱȳɁ
More t han Just a Funeral Home
Weigh your decision: a breakdown C corporation
Advantages: • Separate legal entity • Limited liability for stockholders • Unlimited life of business • Easier to raise capital • Can transfer ownership through stock sale
Disadvantages: • Large number of owners complicates status • Death, bankruptcy or withdrawal of owner could cause problems • Doing business in other states may require filing individual tax returns in each
Disadvantages: • Complex and costlier to organize • Activities limited by charter • More record-keeping requirements and regulation • Probable double taxation
General partnership
S corporation
Advantages: • Liability limits for shareholders • Unlimited life of business Disadvantages: • Restrictions on number of shareholders • Limitations on ownership
Sole proprietorship
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adds. Those differences involve taxation, legal liability, and even your obligations in a bankruptcy case. Another important reason to carefully decide on your business structure is tax liability. A sole proprietor lists business income on his or her personal income tax return. This
Advantages: • Minimum legal restrictions • Easy to form • Low start-up costs • Sole ownership of profits • Maximum freedom in decision making
Advantages: • Easy to form • Direct rewards • Broader management base Disadvantages: • Unlimited liability of general partners • Divided authority in decision making • Difficult to dispose of partnership interest
Limited partnership
Advantages: • Limited partners protected unless participate in management • At least one general partner has unlimited liability • Operated like a general partnership Disadvantages: • Limited partners may not participate in management
Limited liability partnership
Disadvantages: • Unlimited liability • Harder to raise capital • Difficult to obtain long-term financing
Advantages: • Partners are not typically responsible for debts of the LLP • Operated like a general partnership
Limited liability company
Disadvantages: • The lack of clear precedents could be a disadvantage • Unclear in those states that do not have LLP statutes
Advantages: • Limited disclosure of owners • Ease in transfer of ownership • Can use different classes of owners • Lower filing fees • Can assign management to a nonmember
Source: Arizona Department of Commerce
briefcase means the business’s income, credit, loss and deductions, are reported at a tax rate appropriate to your income. Every good businessperson eventually learns that minimizing taxes is part of running a successful business. Why pay Uncle Sam more than you need to, ¿que no? If you want your business income reported separately, then a C corporation may be more appropriate for your company. Under a C corporation, taxes are reported separately as the business income. Again, the level of taxation depends on the amount the business made or lost during the year. But every option has advantages and disadvantages that only a certified public accountant or tax attorney can fully explain. For example, under the C corporation, you may end up paying taxes twice: once at the business level and again when earnings are distributed to you and your shareholders. With a good CPA and attorney, you may find a way to avoid paying twice if a “reasonable” amount of earnings are paid out as deductible salary. Híjole. Paying these professionals may sound like a lot when times are tough, but they could end up saving you money in the long run, especially when it comes to America’s loophole-ridden tax system. One structure that has gained popularity over the years is the S corporation. Technically, it’s a subchapter of a C corporation. It offers the legal protections of a C corporation and the tax advantages of a sole proprietorship. So, why doesn’t everybody use this structure? Mainly because it restricts the number of allowable shareholders. But some mom-and-pop businesses are finding the S corporation attractive for several reasons. One that jumps out is the business owners may not have to pay income taxes, but instead the net income, which includes a deduction for the wages paid to its owners/employees, is “passed through” to its stockholders based on their percent of stock ownership. The pass through income is not assessed taxes at the corporate or individual stockholder level. Ay, papá. And you thought all you had to worry about was finding a great cook and a good location.
¡! ¡!
This brings up another important issue: the number of partners or investors you are willing to share management responsibilities with. If you want to restrict this, then a C corporation, S corporation or LLC may work well for you. Under these business structures, you may be able to separately share the management and retain control. “You need to set the rules how you expect fellow partners or shareholders to be responsible to each other,” says Villanueva. “The business will need bylaws, administrative controls … you don’t want to go to court when disputes arise. You want them [spelled out] in your document.” If shared ownership and management responsibilities are what you’re after, a general partnership or limited liability company may be your structure of choice.
Legal exposure and the bottom line Is your head spinning yet? Good. Smallbusiness ownership is not for the faint of heart. Many factors go into creating and sustaining a successful business enterprise. And for each structure mentioned above, too many nuances and complexities exist to detail here. If you get nothing more out of this article than one concept, it should be this: Decide what your legal exposure would be if a customer were to walk into your store or restaurant, slip on some water and break a leg. And don’t forget to factor in insurance, which can mitigate some of the exposure. Then hire a CPA or tax attorney to help you decide which structure best suits your business. “In today’s society, you can be sued for what you did, what you didn’t do, what you could have done, what you should have done and what they think you might have done,” says Villanueva. “It’s a difficult time to do business in this country. Legal liability is something everyone has to consider.” And remember, the structure of your business is not the ultimate determinant of the company’s success. Success has more to do with your ability to manage the business well and have a product or service that sells.
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¡!
¡!
Occupation ready Trade-school education crafts skills; offers job stability
By Erica Cardenas After 2700 hours of relentless dedication, self-
discipline and a pure desire to succeed, 21-year-old Sergio Tedregon has accomplished what he set out to do 22 months ago. He’s the first in his family to graduate high school and earn a college degree, and he’ll soon be putting his occupational associate’s degree in auto, diesel and industrial to good use. Like Tedregon, thousands of other students will work toward receiving their degrees this year from one of the more than 25 trade and technical schools in the state, an educational path that continues to grow in demand. From auto mechanics and the culinary arts to health and criminal justice programs, there are countless options to choose from. In fact, skilled trades top the list of U.S. jobs most in demand for 2010 according to recent surveys, and a statistic Tedregon feels good about. “I moved to Arizona a few years ago from Hatch Valley, New Mexico, after graduating high school,” he explains. “It was a hard decision to make because I didn’t know anyone here, but my mind was set on attending the Universal Technical Institute (UTI).” UTI is a nationwide provider of technical education training for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians. The Avondale campus is where Tedregon picked up his studies and where 2500 students are currently enrolled. The institute’s national student enrollment averages nearly 19,000 at locations across the country, which includes the Phoenix and Avondale campuses. And numbers don’t lie. Whether it’s a student fresh out of high school, or an individual who was laid off and now taking the opportunity to go back to school and get retrained for a new career, the trend of receiving careerfocused training continues to be on the rise. Doug Kinney, UTI’s student development advisor, points out one of the advantages of having such an education.
“Twenty years ago, you could graduate from high school and work your way up through the system. Today that’s almost impossible. You have to be equipped with a skill,” he says. “Our students range in age right now from 17 to 56 years old, and every one of them needs as much education as they can possibly get to meet the needs of the changing industry.” Kinney himself was a graduate of UTI 34 years ago, and he says the principles remain the same. That is, the students receive specialized, hands-on training so they can smoothly and quickly make the transition from school to career. “We teach five days a week, six hours a day,” he says. “So, in other words, a student receives 90 consecutive hours on one subject, which allows them to get right into the mesh of what they want and need to learn.”
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¡! career
Opportunity in the digital age
Oportunidad en la era digital How do you become among the most reliable and trusted providers of communication and entertainment services in America? By connecting people with nearly endless opportunities to learn, grow, share and succeed. With Cox Communications, there’s no shortage of possibilities for our customers or our employees. Add your talents to the team that’s advancing communications into the Digital Age. Establish a career connection with a real and rewarding future, with one of the industry’s most respected and exceptional employers. To learn more about Cox, or to apply for open positions, visit us online. Grow with us. Crece con nosotros.
www.cox.com/coxcareer
Do your homework So where does one turn when considering an education and degree in a particular trade or vocation? The U.S. Department of Education and the Federal Trade Commission provide prospective students with helpful tips on choosing a particular school or program. First, it’s important to decide what type of technical program you’re interested in. An obvious but important question is “What do you like to do?” Maybe you enjoy repairing cars, building websites or creating exotic cuisine. Whatever it is, narrowing down your interests and passions will get you on track to deciding what schools and programs might be a match for you. Other important things to consider: Location. Are you going to be attending a school near you or are you willing to relocate? If you do not intend to relocate, then stick to finding a school in or around your area. On the flip side,
if relocating is an option, then you might want to expand your search. Faculty. Who is teaching the classes? Do instructors hold teaching credentials and have real-life work experience? Job placement. What kind of reputation does the school have? Does it have a successful track record of placing students into career-oriented positions? Cost. How much money can you afford to invest in your education? Does the school offer scholarships and/or financial aid?
Funding a dream While these are all important questions, affordability continues to be a topic of high priority to students, especially in today’s economic climate. Veronica Meury, vice president and executive director of the UTI Foundation, addresses the financial need and support that many students are dealing with today.
Is your technical school up to par? Questions that require the right answers:
Is the school you are considering accredited and licensed? A basic indicator of quality, although not every school chooses to be accredited. If a school is accredited by a nationally recognized agency, it means it has met certain quality standards established by that agency. Most states have laws requiring career colleges and technical schools to be licensed or certified to offer instructional courses and programs. If a school has a license or certificate to operate, it means it has gone through a process to make sure that it meets certain standards. Contact the state-licensing agency where the school is located to find out if it is operating legally in the state. To find out if a school is accredited by a nationally recognized agency, check to see if the accrediting agency is included in the U.S. Department of Education’s List of Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies at www.ed.gov. Is it worth paying a visit? It’s not only worth visiting the school you have in mind, but it’s also worth taking time to look at the equipment and facilities. Ask if they are up to professional standards. Sit in on a class or two and talk to the instructor and current students. Contact alumni, too. Look at several schools that offer comparable programs. Compare accreditation, program length, schedule, cost, course offerings, transferability of course credits, placement rates, financial aid availability, campus crime and any other factors that are important to you. Several lists of trade schools are published by state and available on the Internet. Websites such as www.alltradeschools.com or www.trade-schools.net will provide you with a list of schools and information on courses, degrees and programs.
EOE
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Sources – U.S. Department of Education (www.ed.gov), www.alltradeschools.com, www.trade-schools.net
In the market for a new career?
career ¡!
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A few options for those seeking to retool
Maricopa Skill Center – www.maricopaskillcenter.com Electrician worker with introduction to HVAC certificate: Work as a skilled assistant to HVAC technicians and installers. Graduates can be OSHA-10 and Part 602 certified. Total hours: 693; cost: $3,895.80. Aesthetician certificate: Specialize in providing skin care and beauty-related services. Possible career paths: aesthetician, skin care specialist, wax technician, makeup artist. Total hours: 663; cost: $4,167.80. Southwest Skill Center – www.estrellamountain.edu/swsc Emergency medical technology (EMT) program: The EMT program is the first step toward a firefighter career. Includes training in techniques of emergency care, stabilization and immobilization of victim’s illness and injuries. Total hours: 132; cost: $737.20. American Institute of Technology - www.ait-schools.com Truck driver training program. Train and practice for the Commercial Driver’s License test. Truck driver training programs include professional, commercial, diesel and truck driving. Tuition cost and hours vary. Visit the AIT website for more information.
“Our goal is to help provide funding to cover the gap between the cost of education and the amount of loans a student can take on,” she explains. “The UTI Foundation was created to assist in plugging that gap. We not only provide scholarships to students, but secure additional funding, which can make the difference between a student having a dead-end job or a thriving career.” Established in 2005 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the UTI Foundation provides financial support to students. Those who might not otherwise receive a post-secondary education, get that chance through numerous scholarship programs and the Student Pantry, an emergency fund for unplanned needs. Tedregon himself was a recipient of financial assistance through the UTI Foundation; something he says made an impact on his path to higher education. “When I was living back home in New Mexico, I was always working and repairing old, beat-up cars, so I knew that was a field I was interested in,” he says. “My family didn’t have much money, so I depended on financial assistance programs to help me continue my dream.” Meury suggests looking into national scholarship support in addition to
seeking resources through your school’s financial aid office. And once a good match in a scholarship is found, be sure to include exactly what’s required in the application packet and go above and beyond to set the application apart from other submissions. “If [the] application is asking for a letter of reference, include two or three reference letters,” says Meury. “It used to be that a technical education had a bad rap, but now technical education can provide a good pathway into a productive career.” As for Tedregon, he has big plans for himself, including a flourishing career. Schlumberger, the world’s leading oilfield services company supplying technology, information solutions and project management for customers in the oil and gas industry, recently called him back for a second interview. “I’m interviewing to be an electronic technician. My job would include maintaining, troubleshooting and repairing all electronic, electric and computer-based equipment.” For Tedregon, the sky is the limit. “My training and career will soon allow me to accomplish my next dream: to build my parents another house.”
As a Girl Scout volunteer, you can add meaningful days to girls’ lives. Whether you can commit a few hours a month or a few hours a week, share your personal passion and create a memorable experience that you’ll never forget. Join us for an informational gathering: Tuesday, November 16 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine 119 East Coronado Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85004
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Amanda Martin 602.452.7056
amandamartin@girlscoutsaz.org
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Undeterred Kristina Tellez, fire captain/paramedic, Glendale Fire Department
Years of service: 15 years Professional honors/personal triumphs: 1995 fire academy graduate; received 1997 “Top Gun” Award in paramedic school (I was the student with the highest GPA); promoted to engineer in 2001; completed Hazardous Materials Technician course in 2001; promoted to fire captain in 2004
Duties: Between running fire and medical
Who inspired you to become a firefighter? My mother planted the seed. I was taking an elective class, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), for a pre-med career. Paramedics from the fire department came in to teach some topics; I enjoyed listening to their stories. I never thought of being a firefighter, so I took some entry fire classes and knew this was the career for me. My mother cringes anytime there is a fire in Glendale. She loves that I’m a paramedic, but not so much that I go into fires.
Inherent dangers you face: Every emergency has the potential of being unpredictable. Just responding to a call and arriving safe is a challenge. A patient (or a family member) can become violent at any time; there’s the possibility of contracting a disease; working around motor vehicle accidents while other drivers are focused on the accident scene; and of course the dangers of structural firefighting.
Photo: charles sanderson
emergencies, I report for a 24-hour shift at 8 a.m. and begin engine/equipment checks and station cleanup. I usually attend a training class and do some type of physical training. On paramedic calls, I start IVs, administer medications, read heart rhythms and accompany the patient to the hospital in the ambulance. On fire calls (with my crew) I pull hose lines, search and rescue, extinguish the fire and help salvage personal belongings and property.
Proudest moment: Graduating from the fire academy and becoming a Glendale firefighter. I was the only female with 18 other males. For 12 weeks these guys were my brothers, always looking out for me or sharing words of encouragement.
Who is your hero? I have many: family, friends, military, police and firefighters for obvious reasons. From a personal experience, I have another to add: The Crisis Response (CR) Program. They are volunteers that respond, in addition to the fire department, as patient and family advocates.
What do you like most about your work? Definitely being in a firefight! It’s very fast-paced, so when I arrive I have to make decisions within a matter of seconds about how I’m going to attack the fire, search for victims and keep my crew safe. I’m constantly reevaluating fire conditions since they are always changing.
Nominate a candidate
Help us acknowledge those who serve. Men and women currently in the military or first responders. Send your info to editor@latinopm.com. www.latinopm.com
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present the third annual salute
honoring those who serve Nov. 18 at the Wyndham hotel in downtown Phoenix 11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M. Join us as we salute the brave men and women we have profiled over the past year in the pages of Latino Perspectives, and the Korean War veterans of Tucson s Easy Company. For ticket information contact Olivia Rojas at orojas@latinopm.com or 602-277-0130.
this event sponsored by
Parental involvement Too much or too little can make a discernible difference By Sam Naser
This autumn, millions of parents will shoulder
through school hallways, be ushered into pint-sized chairs and anxiously await the verdict on their child’s classroom performance. It’s the age-old ritual of the parent-teacher conference, a meeting of the minds that underscores the most important relationship in education: the holy trinity of the student, parent and teacher. One weak link in that triumvirate, and a child’s entire education and growth can be undermined. Maybe that’s why it’s so tempting for parents to approach the occasion eager to size up how well the teacher is doing at his or her job. But few anticipate that teachers may be just as keen on conducting a performance review on their student’s parents. That’s right. Just as parents are well aware of the difference a great teacher can make (and the harm a bad one can inflict), educators are equally aware of the positive influence engaged parents can have on their students (and the damage an uninvolved one can do). And it’s no wonder why. Better school attendance, better grades and a better likelihood that a student will graduate high school and attend college are all linked to parental involvement. That is, a parent who reads with their children. One who arranges for appropriate study time and space. One who asks about their day. A parent who sets high expectations. One who knows when to turn off the TV. A parent who encourages their child. One that ensures that their homework is finished. In short, a parent who is engaged in their child’s education. In an era of much hand-wringing about the quality of education our children are receiving, parental involvement is increasingly becoming a major educational issue. So much so that this past May, the largest piece of federal legislation on parental involvement was introduced to the floors of Congress. The Family Engagement in Education Act, or H.R.5211, is a bill that would incentivize schools and districts to bring parents into the fold. Among other things, the bill would provide schools federal funding to
train teachers and principals in how to effectively engage families in their children’s education. And while parent engagement strategies are effective for all communities, the ones that arguably stand to benefit the most from a revival of parental involvement are predominantly minority communities. That’s because parents, especially the Latino community in Arizona, are severely underrepresented at the school board and decisionmaking level. Whether it’s administratively, or in terms of principals, superintendents, or school board members, Latino representation in these roles falls far below their proportion of the population in their school districts. According to Panfilo Contreras, executive director of the Arizona School Boards Association, only 12 percent of school board members in Arizona have a Latino surname. Of course, that’s not always a reliable indicator of Latino heritage, but it’s a close enough approximation to cause www.latinopm.com
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some concern, given that Latinos comprise over a third of our state population. And when it comes to the Latino community, Panfilo is quick to point out the underpinnings for these figures go beyond schools not doing enough to engage parents in their child’s education. In fact, he contends that schools and districts are much more sensitive today to getting good representation than ever before. Then why the low levels of Latino participation at the policy level? Much of the hesitation to participate at the district level may have to do with culture and the current political climate, says Contreras. “I think culturally speaking, there’s this feeling [Latino parents] have where they have a lot of respect for the educators at the school. I’m sure that’s part of it. The other part of it, I think, is a little bit of fear. With the atmosphere we have today, in terms of immigration, there’s some fear,” says Panfilo, “but there shouldn’t be.” Panfilo used to be one of those reluctant parents. “I never thought that I was qualified to serve on the board of a school district,” he says. “I wasn’t the best student, but I felt it was important. My Mom and Dad felt it was important enough for their seven boys. They always taught us to give back to our community, and I started by giving back in a different way with the Little League and soccer, and then people in the community started noticing, ‘Here’s someone that could be a good school board member.’ And that’s where it starts.” Panfilo would go on to run for, and be elected to, the Florence Wells Unified School District’s school board in Tucson, Arizona. It’s a school district that, in 1987, had a very low population of Latinos. And as a testament to the continued low participation level of Latinos at the policy level, Panfilo remains the district’s only Latino school board member to have served to this day. This is despite the fact that since his tenure, Latinos in the district have since risen to comprise at least a quarter of the student population. While it’s clear that participation at the decision-making level is a 50
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largely untapped resource for many communities, the only forms of parental involvement with an effect on academic achievement are those that occur inside the home. There is absolutely no evidence linking parental participation in school boards, parent teacher associations, school improvement councils, or any other decision-making body with a child’s achievement. This is not to say that parents should not get involved in school decision making. It’s just that the research on parental involvement resulting in student achievement is all about what parents do inside of the home, not outside of it. And when it comes to parental involvement inside the home, the research is clear that earlier it begins, the more beneficial its effects. After all, a parent is a child’s first teacher, and undoubtedly the most important one throughout a child’s life. The sooner a parent harnesses that influence, the greater the likelihood of academic success. As one might expect, active parental involvement has shown to be more beneficial than passive involvement, and likewise, passive forms of parental involvement better than no involvement at all. Still, it’s not as simple a matter as “more is always better.” In fact, intrusive parenting can pose just as many challenges as absent parenting. Particularly as children get older, knowing how much is too much and how much is too little can be a tricky line to walk.
Cutting the cord Approaches to parenting often seem to swing like a pendulum from one generation to the next. Most recently, we’ve seen the proliferation of the “helicopter” parent, a colloquial term for those well-intentioned parents with a little too much zeal. You know, the ones who hover so constantly and so closely over their child’s head, so rarely out of sight, and always micromanaging every banal minutiae of their child’s life. Scandinavians have another word for the phenomenon: “curling” parents. That’s
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The Difference that Matters.
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elementary school and the form parental involvement should take for your young adult. The majority of research on parental involvement has been conducted at the preschool and primary grade levels. And while recent findings suggest it remains a correlate to academic success as students move through middle school, it takes on the form of more “standby” functions. That is, things like communicating with the school about your child’s progress, helping your child select courses that support their interests for college and monitoring their homework. “From cradle to career, a parent’s role in their child’s education is really to support, monitor, encourage and advocate for their child,” says Jenni Brasington, director of the Arizona Parent Information Resource Center. “How they do this may look different as children advance through the education system.” Unfortunately, too many parents fail to adapt their behavior to fit their child’s age. One litmus test is to simply ask yourself what one could reasonably expect a child to do, and what one could expect a young adult to be able to do on his or her own. Giving your collegeaged children wake-up calls, having their professors on speed dial to argue a grade or proofreading their homework is incredibly difficult to justify. If you’re doing things your child or young adults can do, then you’re not allowing them to develop the abilities to function independently. In fact, the research on overly intrusive parents shows a tendency for such kids to be anxious, dependent or depressed. At the same time, the level of parental involvement appropriate for a child’s age can depend on the child. Some kids may require more involvement from their parents than others. But it’s always important to remain introspective and reflect on your own motive as a parent: Is your child actually in need of some guidance or are you, the parent, simply unable to cut the cord due to issues about disengaging? That may be a question you’ll have to ask yourself.
My class is small
because their method can be best described as the parental equivalent of the Olympic sport of curling. It’s the game where players use a broom to sweep the path in front of a hockey puck as it slides toward the target. Many of today’s parents seem to be assuming the role of the athletes clenching those brooms, frantically smoothing all obstacles out of their child’s path toward success. On the other hand, a new method trumpeting itself as “free-range parenting” is pushing back, encouraging parents to allow the child to explore the world at their own pace. The movement’s mantra is “less is more.” Allow your child to take risks and they’ll fly higher. Both doctrines are grounded in the idea of raising happy, healthy and welladjusted kids. And both have their merits. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with wanting to guide your child in the right direction, it can be difficult for some parents to pull back as a child matures. Clearly, if you require the Jaws of Life to pry you apart from your kid when it’s time to say goodbye after their freshmen orientation, there’s something wrong. That may sound like hyperbole, until you recall the New York Times article published in August that reported on an instance where a mom and dad at Colgate University showed up with their child for the first day of college classes. Another Mom at UMass Amherst was reported as visiting her son’s dormitory three times a week to “do his laundry.” The inability of “Velcro” parents to let go has become such a fiasco that at Atlanta’s Morehouse College, incoming freshmen are marched through the campus front gates during orientation. The gates are then promptly swung shut directly behind them, locking parents outside the campus. Other universities are following suit, with the University of Minnesota and Grinnell College both instituting “hit the road” policies come time for freshmen orientation. Remember, folks, the idea is parental involvement, not intrusion. There’s a big difference between the appropriate level of involvement given to your child in
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Cancer bureaucracy
Low-income women in Arizona diagnosed with cancer can get treatment through the NBCCTP. Should it matter where they got diagnosed? By Rosa Cays
I moved back to Arizona from Los Angeles about
eleven years ago. I was reestablishing myself and working a couple of part-time jobs with no health benefits. Not a big deal to me; I was used to it and was not going to let it stop me from getting my annual exam. I “grew up” at Planned Parenthood and learned how important it was to get yearly checkups. But by 1999, in my mind I had outgrown Planned Parenthood, so I looked into other affordable healthcare alternatives in Phoenix. A friend told me about the Well Woman HealthCheck Program. I made a call and was screened over the phone for eligibility: I was within the age limit, a legal resident, had no health insurance and earned below the required income level for my household of one. I qualified for the program. I made an appointment and without a hitch, got an essential checkup that included a Pap test, pelvic and breast exams – and most importantly, peace of mind. For a highly appreciated nominal fee, I found out I was good to go for another year. I counted my blessings. If only all screenings ended in such positive results. Not all women are so fortunate. Excluding skin cancers, breast cancer is the most diagnosed form of cancer, affecting 1 in 4 women in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Among Hispanic women, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed and leading cause of cancer death. And Hispanic women have been historically less likely to get cervical cancer screenings, or Pap tests, compared to non-Hispanic white women, although they’ve stepped it up in recent decades. Hispanic women 18 years and older have gone from 64 percent in 1987 to close to 75 percent in 2005 in receiving cervical cancer screenings. And as would be expected, uninsured women are less likely to have had a recent Pap test, compared to women who have healthcare coverage, an obvious deterrent in early detection of cancer.
According to a 2009 community report published by Phoenix Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 22 percent of females in the Phoenix Affiliate area – Apache, Coconino, Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal and Yavapai counties – are uninsured.
The cancer fight In 1990, Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed the Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality Prevention Act, from which the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) was created to assist in the fight against breast and cervical cancers. Over the last 20 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with government agencies, has funded and administered the program in states across the country, finally reaching www.latinopm.com
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all 50 states in 1997. Since then, the NBCCEDP has served more than 3.7 million women. As was my case about a decade ago, women who qualify for the Well Woman HealthCheck Program are low-income and underserved women under 65 (and over 40 for mammograms) who are legal residents, lacking health insurance and bring in an annual income at 250 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). In 1993, the Well Woman HealthCheck Program (WWHP) was established in Arizona as part of the NBCCEDP and the Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Nutrition Services at the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). For the first nine years of the program, the CDC was the sole funding source for the WWHP. In 2003, the program was
approved by the state legislature to receive funds from the State of Arizona, enabling the program to increase the number of women screened by nearly one-third. “We continue making sure that the statefunded portion of the program doesn’t get cut by the legislature,” says Sen. Amanda Aguirre, who passed a bill in 2005 to increase funding for the WWHP by establishing a special-edition breast cancer license plate. A contribution of $17 of every $25 registration fee goes to WWHP. Since 1995, the program has provided over 35,000 mammograms and nearly 30,000 Pap tests to over 22,000 Arizona women, who likely could not afford these services otherwise. WWHP also has outreach programs to educate women on the importance of early detection. Virginia Warren, office chief of ADHS health-check
Get in the cancer fight Closing the gap – the Komen petition The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Phoenix Affiliate continues its effort to end breast cancer and close the gap for women of color, rural women and low-income women by advocating to increase access to early detection services for all women in Arizona. Susan G. Komen for the Cure is passionate about getting this law changed. You can help by calling your legislator to let them know how you feel about this issue or go to www.komenphoenix.org and fill out the on-line petition. Contact WWHP: 1-888-257-8502 www.wellwomanhealthcheck.org Show you support while driving Next time you’re due for new license plates, or even if you’re not, consider the Pink Ribbon/Cancer Awareness plate. The cost is a $25 initial application fee/ $25 annual renewal. No special requirements. Available to everyone. $17 goes to WWHP. You can even personalize it with a maximum of six characters. Also available with a disability symbol. Go to www.azdot.gov and click on Special Plates under Driver and Vehicle Services.
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Serving the Phoenix Valley since 1953 programs, says the program is doing exceptionally well. “The [WWHP] program actually met 100 percent of goals set by the CDC to help people through the screening process,” says Warren, “and if diagnosed, into the treatment setting.” The treatment setting is what has been a topic of controversy as of late. A bit of background: In 2002, Congress passed the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (NBCCTP). In Arizona, this means women diagnosed with cancer through the WWHP can receive comprehensive treatment through the NBCCTP provided by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). But there’s one catch. State legislators voted on implementing funding for the program by going with an “Option 1” policy, which means low-income and uninsured women with breast or cervical cancer who do not get diagnosed through WWHP are not qualified for Arizona’s Medicaid support for cancer treatments. In other words, if your uninsured hermana Veronica takes advantage of a free mammogram at a health fair in the Bashas’ parking lot and she’s diagnosed with breast cancer, she can potentially forfeit financial support through ACCCHS. The Phoenix Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is calling attention to this disparity. Phoenix affiliate mission manager Mary Dokes says, “If a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer outside of the Well Woman HealthCheck Program, and would qualify for AHCCCS assistance, she would not be able to receive treatment through AHCCCS … Komen believes all women should have equal access to quality treatment regardless of where she was diagnosed.” Warren says this “gap” is addressed at the county level. When a woman is being screened for the WWHP, “it is a main talking point to the patients,” she says. Maricopa County WWHP manager Abby Trujillo Maestas confirmed this. “It’s one of the first things we tell them.” Warren adds, “If someone has a screening at a health fair or another free event and there is an issue of concern,
they are then referred into the system for further screening and diagnosis – meaning their diagnoses will be through WWHP and eligible for Option 1 treatment.” This would seem to quell Komen’s concerns, but what about the women who don’t know about WWHP, and may not be comfortable with even getting screened in the first place, because of finances, cultural differences or fear? These women are who concern Dokes and others, Trujillo Maestas included. To make up for this Option 1 gap, Komen has contracted with counties in Arizona to provide grants to women caught between cancer and health care. In 2009-2010, $1.2 million was awarded for treatment grants for underinsured and/or uninsured women. Just a few weeks ago, Komen made the difference for a young woman with cancer who had lost her job, had no home, yet did not qualify for AHCCCS. “Komen took care of her mastectomy and reconstruction,” says Trujillo Maestas, “but Komen can’t do it all alone,” she adds. “We as Arizonans need to take this seriously.” Asked if the Option 1 gap for the breast and cancer treatment program was up for another vote anytime soon, in light of the push from Komen and others, Aguirre replied, “The [WWHP] has to follow the CDC federal guidelines for what … is covered under the Treatment Act. So this will need federal legislation to change it, not state [legislation].” In the mean time, the senator wants all women to be aware of these programs. “Early detection works!” she says, “So I encourage all women, especially those women who are uninsured, to contact their local WWHP.” Reaching all women in Arizona is the key. Those who know about the WWHP and other programs for underserved, uninsured women can spread the word via word of mouth, social networks, PTA meetings, blogs, etc., and help the fight against cancer through early detection. “Breast cancer needs to be addressed from every direction,” says Trujillo Maestas. “We need to make sure women have access to treatment.”
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VALLE DEL SOL’S 20TH ANNUAL PROFILES OF SUCCESS 2010
Thanks to the many sponsors and supporters of the 20th annual Profiles of Success. The funds raised through this event support Valle del Sol’s many programs and services, which are helping thousands of men, women, children, families and the elderly in our community.
American Express “Runway Table” Architectural Resource Team Arizona Diamondbacks Calderón Law Offices Care First Health Arizona Cold Stone Creamery Entravision Fennemore Craig Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Greater Phoenix Economic Council Hablamos SRP
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Health Choice Arizona Hensley Beverage Company Lewis and Roca, LLC Procter & Gamble Mfg. Co. Roush, McCracken, Guerrero, Miller & Ortega Scottsdale Insurance Company Southwest Oncology Centers Susan Posada Agency Topete/Stonefield, Inc. US Bank
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Healthy Employee is a Happy and more Productive Employee! A
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¡ October 2010!
The Tarahumara trend – or tradition? By Sam Naser
There’s nothing like a jog in the
Phone: 602.404.9622 Email: corporatewellness@vosymca.org Website: www.valleyYMCA.org
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The bare truth about running
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park. The blue skies, warm breeze and sight of children playing are a sure way to burn off stress. But emerging evidence suggests that the act of running goes far deeper than that. In fact, running could be one of the most transforming activities in human history. Evolutionary biologists say that humans may have parted ways with their tree-swinging ancestors some two million years ago, precisely because we started running. An article appearing in the journal Sports Medicine in 2007 studied the fossils of early humans, noting several characteristics unique to our species that suggest longdistance running played an important role in our evolution. From our springlike tendons and ligaments to our large buttocks, our ability to run long distances is part and parcel to the origin of the modern human’s body form. But if we were born to run, why are athletic injuries so prevalent among runners? The answer, it turns out, may have much to do with our footwear.
A nod to runners past “Everything I’d been taught about running was wrong,” writes running enthusiast Christopher McDougal in his New York Times best-selling book, Born to Run. “We treat running in the modern
world the way we treat childbirth. It’s going to hurt and requires special exercises and equipment, and the best you can hope for is to get it over with quickly with minimal damage.” It wasn’t until McDougal, vexed by routine, running-related injuries, discovered the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of the Mexican Copper Canyons that he put his finger on the problem. The Tarahumara regularly run distances of over 100 miles at a stretch, and at incredible speeds. Yet, in spite of their athletic prowess, McDougal found the incidence of running-related injuries among the Tarahumara is next to nil. And a large part of what McDougal attributes to the Tarahumara immunity to injury is their minimalist footwear. The Tarahumara grow up barefoot, but during long-distance races don homemade rubber-like sandals that are mere
millimeters thick. Anthropologists say our human ancestors have been running this way for over a million years. In fact, it was only within the last 10,000 years that humans have begun to wear any kind of shoes, and only recently has long-distance running begun to be associated with pain and injury. That’s because studies show that runners who use modern shoes usually land heel first, generating a sudden spike of force that in effect is analogous to someone hitting you on the heel with a hammer up to three times your body weight. Barefoot runners and those with minimalist footwear, on the other hand, land further forward, on the balls of their feet or somewhere in the middle of the foot, and then the heel comes down. McDougall makes the case that running in shoes has altered the biomechanics of running, leading us to poorer running form and consequently, a
greater risk of injury. And his argument has an increasing tide of science working in its favor. A study published by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation this year notes that the average athletic shoe can harm your hips, knees and ankles more than running barefoot. The study notes that “increased joint torques at the hip, knee and ankle were observed with running shoes compared with running barefoot. Disproportionately large increases were observed in the hip internal rotation torque and in the knee flexion and knee varus torques.” Furthermore, a more natural running form is said to be much more energyefficient. The human foot has an arch with ligaments inside that expand and contract with every stride. The front-first landing of the barefoot runner capitalizes on that flexibility more than a heel-first landing. Simply put, they get more buoyancy out of the natural spring mechanism. While the jury is still out on whether the barefoot movement is here to stay, the shoe manufacturers have certainly hopped on board. Nearly every major shoe company has released a “barefoot” running shoe. Nike’s popular line, known as the Nike Free, runs for about $85. Another popular model called the Newton runs for around $150. Vibram’s Five Fingers is arguably the most minimalist “barefoot” shoe at $85. It is little more than a pair of gloves for your feet that resemble a rubber sock, for the purpose of protecting your feet from debris. If you’re interested in going minimal, be prepared for the puzzled stares of passersby. And before you dive in headfirst, start with short walks and gradually progress to very short runs. It’s important to pay special attention to how your feet and lower legs adjust to your new running form. If they sore up, you may want to consult an experienced “barefoot” coach or podiatrist who can work with you to improve your form. Evolutionary, revolutionary, fad or not, the Tarahumara already know the bare truth about running.
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¡ October 2010!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
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Virtual oasis
Talking Stick Resort offers amenities beyond the usual By Henry Sanders
A walk past the casino floor took me through to the hotel. I flashed my key card at a casual security checkpoint and dashed into an elevator. As I walked through the hall to my room, I started noticing the décor. There’s a definite motif of light cherry wood, and the carpet is stylized in long ridges reminiscent of wood grain or sandstone. Everywhere in the resort are vintage photographs of local Indian tribesmen. It’s impossible to resist the urge to stop and stare back at those faces frozen in time. In my room, I pushed all the buttons and turned all the knobs the moment I arrived. A large high-definition, flatscreen television could keep me here all day, if it weren’t for the limited channel options, surely designed to keep visitors downstairs in the casino. The room comes with a wall safe for squirreling away the piles of dough won at keno. I sprawled
out on the soft blankets of my bed and decided my next plan of action. Designed to operate with some level of self-sufficiency, the resort is a virtual desert oasis. The golf course sprawls out over several acres. There are no less than five restaurants. Slip into the opulent Shadows bar to sip a martini and puff on a cigar with so rich a finish, it spices the air around you. Go to the showroom and dance the night away or take in a live band. (Next month, I just may wander back for John Mayall and Buddy Guy.) I finally left my hotel room to explore and found much more. Below the casino level is a barber shop, a coffee shop, and a business center complete with computers that can be switched between Mac and PC to suit one’s tastes. A short walk from there finds jovial guests enjoying a swim at the resort’s large pool. As I walked by,
Photos courtesy of talking stick resort
A lazy, 30-minute drive from downtown Phoenix, in any direction, will lead you to a pool, a casino or championship-caliber golf course. Along the way, you might encounter classy restaurants, printers, barbershops and health spas. But suppose these were in one location? Not even malls have that. On Indian Bend Road, just past the 101, the buildings of Scottsdale disappear and the desert landscape opens up. Here at the edge of the Salt River-Pima Indian community stands Talking Stick Resort, offering much more than hotel rooms and a swimming pool. As I walked into the building, I was greeted by a wall of slot machines and blackjack tables. Unoccupied dealers flashed warm, inviting smiles as I passed down the center walkway taking in the noise and revelry. I was headed for my hotel room.
A view to the east from Talking Stick Resort, overlooking the golf course and the McDowell Mountains
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The Orange Sky Lounge waits for the sun to set and the crowds to arrive.
families and sunbathers enjoyed a cover band with the talent to play just about any request. One inebriated lady expressed herself through ballet and handstands to their rendition of a reggae song. But one of the resort’s gems is further out, beyond the main resort. With the McDowell Mountains as a backdrop, renowned golf architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed not just one, but two courses for the Talking Stick Golf Club, the North and South courses. The landscaping was intentionally blended into the desert. Stroll the lush wide fairways, and the course seamlessly fades into its natural surroundings – no house windows to break, and a lot of desert to lose your ball in. More than a few golfers fawn over the beauty of the South course. Back at the main resort, I sat down for a beer and some tasty Cajun seafood pan roast at the Ocean Trail bar. My bartender Jaime was friendly yet professional, without being intrusive. The gumbo tasted
like glorified tomato bisque, but it was good and spicy. I had tried to get into the topfloor restaurant, Orange Sky Lounge, but they didn’t open till 10 p.m., and I hadn’t shown up with the right dress code: a collar. I was too hungry to wait so long. Though, I know I missed a glorious sunset up there. There are several touches to Talking Stick that the casual guest might never see. The resort has created their extravagance with a touch of green consciousness. The first thing you may notice is every trashcan has two compartments to separate garbage from recyclables. But other efforts are beneath the surface. The building was built using close to 90-percent recycled steel. Much of the materials used are nonhazardous and environmentally friendly, from cups and nontoxic fabrics to cork floors and glass used in structural décor instead of plastic. The restaurants serve locally grown food as much as possible, and the appliances are largely energy-efficient models. Runoff rainwater is stored and used by sprinklers.
Besides the usual amenities, Talking Stick makes it almost unnecessary to leave the premises. Guests can benefit from 24-hour, in-room dining; 10 different lounges; a 24-hour fitness center; a salon and a barbershop (shoeshine, too); a florist, and dry cleaning and valet laundry services. The place is practically self-contained. Self-contained communities are dangerous, though. The idea that you don’t want for anything in a place like Talking Stick Resort means you’ll have to tear yourself away when it’s time to go. I fell asleep gazing at that high-definition flat screen in my suite, and wondered if they’d notice should I overstay my visit.
Talking Stick Resort: 9800 East Indian Bend Road Scottsdale, Arizona 85256 (480) 270-5555 www.talkingstickresort.com www.latinopm.com
¡ October 2010!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
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Segregation on Cave Man Row By Stella Pope Duarte
I sat on one side of the room by the
windows, next to the pencil sharpener. The students in Cave Man Row sat on the other side of the room. There were at least eight of them, the lowest-performing students in my seventh grade class. Most of them were children of migrant parents who moved from place to place in search of work on farms across the Southwest. They did not have decent clothes to wear, and their hygiene was poor. Some days they came to school smelling of dirt, sweat and clothes that needed to be washed. Their hands were crusted with dirt. They often went to the nurse to get their hair checked for lice, and sometimes came back smelling of what seemed to me to be kerosene. Their heads were, at times, shaved to spare the scalp from the tenacious parasites that lived on their victim’s blood. These were the children who sat in Cave Man Row. When it was time to line up, nobody wanted to line up next to the students of Cave Man Row. When it was lunchtime, nobody wanted to eat next to them. Nobody wanted to play with them on the playground. At school dances they were shunned like the plague. It was “Cave Man Row this,” and “Cave Man Row that,” and nobody ever scolded anybody for using the name. It was
silently accepted by everyone, including the teacher, who made no attempt to correct the demeaning description, nor to reach out to the students with strategies that today would be in line with the philosophy of No Child Left Behind and of ESL education. This was the ‘60s. It was sink or swim. Become mainstream or flunk. It was the era of giving demerits for speaking Spanish, our native language. It was the time of denying the existence and merit of anyone who did not present a decent appearance, and did not perform at the standards set by district policy. It was a time when it was a shame to be poor, and brown, and humble, and speak a foreign language. I was 11 years old. I sat by the pencil sharpener, but I looked many times at the children across the room. When they came up to sharpen their pencils, I left my worksheet with fill-in sentences asking for the correct predicate, verb and conjunction for them to see. It must have been like hieroglyphics for the children of Cave Man Row. I let them look at my answers, in the hope that at least they would get one or two answers right on their papers. I had no idea that I would grow up to advocate for them for the rest of my life. On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education against segregation in
schools, as the practice violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. I think back at the children of Cave Man Row, and wonder why true desegregation is taking so long. It has not been accomplished to this day, although many strides have been taken in that direction. We are still faced with students who cannot learn, who are dirty and poor, and who are plagued with parents who are drug addicts and incarcerated, and many others who are currently segregated because they are not fluent in English. The pain of the children of Cave Man Row is this: They were considered less than human. They will be remembered as stupid and dirty and poor, no matter what they have become. But in my mind, they were the children who smiled at me, secretly, and sharpened their pencils, and sneaked looks at my answers. They thanked me with their eyes – and that was the best thanks of all.
Stella Pope Duarte was born and raised in South Phoenix. She began her writing career in 1995 after she had a dream in which her deceased father told her that her destiny was to become a writer. Her work has won awards and honors nationwide. www.latinopm.com
¡ October 2010!
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¡!
my perspective on: education
Partisan politics aside
The next superintendent of public instruction needs to set a new tone for Arizona
when politicians pontificate endlessly about making education a top priority for the state. While campaign season usually is long on rhetoric and short on substance, Arizona can ill afford a tepid approach to improving our education system. Our next superintendent of public instruction must use the bully pulpit to drive business leaders, parents, educators, other elected officials, and rankand-file citizens to attack head on the problems plaguing our ability to have a world-class school system. Fortunately, voters can choose from two candidates for Arizona’s superintendent of public instruction, John Huppenthal and Penny Kotterman, who have a long track record of K-12 policy making and involvement. As a past holder of the job they seek, and a current member of the State Board of Education, I feel several key areas must be addressed by the next superintendent starting day one. Arizona’s next superintendent must have a no-excuses attitude that all schools and students can, and must, perform at a high level. The leader of our school system must expect a child will achieve rigorous academic standards, regardless of where they come from or their socioeconomic status. While this seems simple, it still amazes me when I hear excuses for why we cannot expect too much of “those students.” Usually the first one is, “We don’t have enough money.” I am the first to argue our education system needs more money (better salaries for teachers, more technology, more school days, etc.), however, we cannot put a halt on what needs to get done until more resources become available. Failing schools, kids not meeting state standards, alarmingly high drop-out rates, stagnant achievement levels, etc., must be dealt with swiftly, without concern for how this will impact the bureaucratic structure. This will allow us to focus on outcomes instead of processes. The superintendent must also embrace the recently passed legislation “Move On When Reading,” which requires all children to reach proficiency in reading by the 3rd grade. This simple premise is key to our education
system’s long-term success. Researchers repeatedly demonstrate that children without a strong foundation in literacy are destined for academic mediocrity. The superintendent must make this a top priority. And while this legislation excludes English Language Learners (ELL students), a reasonable time frame should be developed in conjunction with education leaders from across the state, as well as credible university researchers. Though many Latino students do not speak English as a first language, we cannot have lower expectations for them. Arizona’s school superintendent must demonstrate that we demand accountability, not only to ensure precious taxpayer dollars are not wasted, but also to ensure students are receiving the education they deserve. And parents need to know how their child’s class, school and district are performing. Arizona is fortunate to have a flexible system of public education. Parents have options: Charter schools, open enrollment, and tax credits for private schools create a strong competitive environment for the honor of educating children. But without accurate testing procedures, timely information, and accessible data systems noneducators can understand, it is almost impossible to achieve meaningful accountability. In these tight budget times, the superintendent must work with district and charter school leaders to make sure we do not let these important components go by the wayside. The new superintendent needs to convince the legislature on the importance of not short-changing the Department of Education’s ability to obtain this critical information. The superintendent must embrace the notion that not all students learn in the same way. We should do a better job of listening to parents in determining the course of study that best meets a particular student’s learning style. Arizona’s superintendent of public instruction should set an immediate tone that embraces flexibility, innovation, and most importantly, demonstrates the belief that every student and parent is valued. Jaime A. Molera is a current member of the Arizona State Board of Education, former Arizona superintendent of public instruction, and partner of Molera Alvarez Group, LLC. www.latinopm.com
¡ October 2010!
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This is the time of year
More perspectives
By Jaime Molera
Latino Perspectives Magazine
73
¡!
my perspective on: Proposition 302
Prop 302 is bad for Arizona It would wipe out First Things First, crucial tools for our state’s parents
For other views on diverse topics, visit our website at www.latinopm.com.
More perspectives
By Kelli Cordova For most families, the Wright search for quality childcare is not as simple as Mary Poppins dropping in via umbrella. I found this out the hard way. My family went through three caregivers in less than a year after my daughter Lilliana was born. Like other parents, we wanted the best care for Lilliana when I returned to fulltime work after just six weeks of maternity leave. It took a series of hard lessons before we finally found a childcare center that was affordable, trustworthy and met our high expectations. We wanted someone who knew the importance of things like one-on-one interaction and early literacy. After all, the science is clear: About 80 percent of a child’s critical brain development happens before age 3. My search for quality childcare was before voters created First Things First in 2006. Thanks to First Things First, Arizona parents now have a partner in providing the best tools to start their children on the right path. The Proposition 203 initiative placed an 80-cent tax per pack on cigarettes, with the funding dedicated to early childhood development and health for children from birth to age 5. In less than four years, First Things First has worked quickly to fulfill its commitment to not only voters, but to the children of Arizona, by providing more than $284 million in funding. In its short history, First Things First has already made big strides: • Almost 12,000 children who would have had nowhere else to go have been able to remain in childcare while their parents work, look for work, or prepare themselves for work. • All parents in Arizona have access to the Birth to Five Help Line, 1-877-705-KIDS (5437), where they can get answers to their parenting questions from child development experts. • At www.readyazkids.com, parents of young children can find information by their child’s age and stage of development to help them in their critical role as their child’s first teachers. • About 64,000 parents of newborns have received an Arizona Parent Kit. Given to them before leaving the hospital, the kit includes critical information about 74
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healthy parenting practices and how to support their baby’s early learning. • Almost 9,300 families have received home-based services to strengthen their families and support their child’s early learning and health. • 330,000 children will benefit from physicians who have received training on the specific needs of young children, so that they are better able to identify developmental concerns and make appropriate referrals. • 66,000 children benefit from childcare health consultants who help early caregivers create healthy, safe learning environments. • Almost 30,000 Arizona children are receiving improved childcare from better-trained teachers in more nurturing, literature-rich learning environments. This is called QUALITY FIRST. The opportunity to improve outcomes like these for young children is why I volunteered to serve on the Southwest Maricopa Regional Partnership Council, one of 31 regional councils throughout the state. These all-volunteer councils are made up of local citizens who determine what programs are best for the children of their community and exactly how First Things First dollars should be distributed to support the programs. All of us involved with First Things First work toward the mission of ensuring all children enter school healthy and ready to succeed. But there’s much more to be done, and challenges are mounting. Giving children the tools they need to build a solid foundation is the responsibility of all Arizonans. First Things First is threatened by Proposition 302, which legislators placed on the November ballot. Voters are being asked to eliminate the agency and all its services. The measure would keep all the agency’s current and future tobacco tax revenues and put those funds into the state General Fund, where politicians will decide how it gets spent. We cannot let this happen. We need to vote no on Prop 302 to protect the vital work that First Things First is doing for our youngest children to make sure they start school healthy and ready to succeed. Kelli Cordova Wright and her husband Chip live in Avondale and are the parents of a 12-year-old son and a thriving four-year-old daughter.
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