el sol latino | november 2014 | 10.12

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper




November 2014

Volume 10 No. 12

¡10 Años!

2

Editorial PolicyEl Sol Latino acepta colaboraciones tanto en español como en inglés. Nos comprometemos a examinarlas, pero no necesariamente a publicarlas. Nos reservamos el derecho de editar los textos y hacer correcciones por razones de espacio y/o estilo. Las colaboraciones pueden ser enviadas a nuestra dirección postal o a través de correo electrónico a: [email protected].

El Sol Latino welcomes submissions in either English or Spanish. We consider and review all submissions but reserve the right to not publish them. We reserve the right to edit texts and make corrections for reasons of space and/or style. Submissions may be sent to our postal address or via electronic mail to: [email protected].

El Sol Latino is published monthly by Coquí Media Group. El Sol Latino es publicado mensualmente por Coquí Media Group, P.O Box 572, Amherst, MA 01004-0572.

Editor Manuel Frau Ramos [email protected] 413-320-3826 Assistant Editor Ingrid Estrany-Frau Managing Editor Diosdado López Art Director Tennessee Media Design Business Address El Sol Latino P.O Box 572 Amherst, MA 01004-0572

Founded in 2004 n Volume 10, No. 12 n November 2014

Nota del Editor / Note from the editor contents 2 Nota del Editor / Note from the editor

Diversity: The Contributions of El Sol Latino to Our Community

3 Editorial Invitado / Guest Editorial Diversity: The Contributions of El Sol Latino to Our Community

4 Portada / Front PageNatalia Muñoz, Multicultural Marketing Trailblazer

5 Our Points of View Throughout the Years 7 Our Stories Throughout the Years 9 Opinión / Opinion

Lo Siniestro Living on the outskirts of hope: A new

War on Poverty fifty years later 10 ¿Qué Pasa en...? 11 Tinta Caliente / Hot Ink 12 Música/ Music

Latin Rhythms Link Area Communities Through WTCC 90.7 FM (Part 2)

13 Salud / HealthDra. Alliam Reagan Regresa a Springfield

14 Deportes / Sports Homenaje a Rubén H. Urbina

15 Springfield All-Stars Repiten - ¡Campeones 2014!

El Sol Latino en UMass

Manuel Frau Ramos, Profesora Meghan E. Armstrong, Danya Ravid,Jabbarah Harley, Kathleen Smith, Ana Ibarra, Bill Pena-Mejía, Abigail McCarthy, Lindsay Whalen, Misael Figueroa, Moisés Cruz y Brendon Mackeen.

Manuel Frau Ramos, graduado de UMass Amherst y editor de El Sol Latino, compartió con estudiantes de la clase de español de la Profesora Meghan Armstrong en el Departamento de Lenguajes, Literaturas y Culturas de University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Foto del Mes/Photo of the Month

¡10 Años! Seguimos Siendo Un Periódico DiferenteEn el 2004, tres Boricuas decidieron publicar un periódico que fuera un medio de comunicación diferente. Diez años después, no nos hemos desviado de esa misión.

Hoy, al celebrar nuestro 10mo aniversario, seguimos siendo un periódico de dueños puertorriqueños. Seguimos siendo un medio noticioso independiente. Seguimos representando y defendiendo la diversidad periodística en un mercado donde muchos de los medios de comunicación y los mensajes que estos transmiten son controlados por conglomerados nacionales.

En conmemoración de nuestro 10mo aniversario decidimos reproducir algunos de los artículos y editoriales de los cuales estamos orgullosos por la posición periodística que tomamos en ese momento. Los mismos son buenos ejemplos de por qué El Sol Latino ha sido y sigue siendo un periódico diferente.

En esta edición conmemorativa incluimos una contribución de la internacionalmente aclamada educadora Dra. Sonia Nieto como nuestro editorial, y una entrevista con la periodista ganadora de varios premios, Natalia Muñoz.

Estas dos reconocidas Boricuas, con quienes hemos tenido una larga amistad y cuyos principios y opiniones valoramos, se han destacado en la promoción de la importancia del multiculturalismo, la diversidad y la inclusión dentro y fuera de sus respectivos campos profesionales.

A todas y a todos los que nos han respaldado durante estos diez años… ¡Mil gracias!

Diosdado, Ingrid y Manuel

10 Years! We Continue to be A Different Kind of Newspaper In 2004, three Boricuas decided to publish a newspaper that would be a different medial outlet. Ten years later, we have not deviated from that mission.

Today, as we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we continue to be a Puerto Rican-owned newspaper. We continue to be an independent news outlet. We continue to represent and defend journalistic diversity in a market where many of the media outlets and the message they transmit are controlled by national conglomerates.

In commemoration of our 10th anniversary we decided to reproduce some of the articles and editorials that we are proud of because of the journalistic position we took at that time. They are good examples of why El Sol Latino has been and continues to be a different kind of newspaper.

In this commemorative edition we include the contribution of internationally acclaimed educator Dr. Sonia Nieto as our editorial, and an interview with award-winning journalist Natalia Muñoz.

These two well-known Boricuas, with whom we have had a long friendship and whose principles and opinions we value, have excelled in promoting the importance of multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion in and outside of their respective professional fields.

To all of you who have given us your support during these ten years ... ¡Mil gracias!

Diosdado, Ingrid and Manuel

3EE EEE EEEEEE November 2014Editorial Invitado / Guest EditorialDiversity: The Contributions of El Sol Latino to Our Community by SONIA NIETO

Diversity is a word that’s been bandied about a lot lately. In fact, it’s become like “motherhood and apple pie”: everybody’s for it. Many people and organizations claim support for diversity, saying it is a cherished value, a goal, something they truly believe in. But what does diversity really mean?

On a basic level, diversity simply means difference, but nowadays the term is generally used to designate different cultures, races, languages, social classes, and so on. On a deeper level, diversity also is about access and equity, that is, it’s about who has access to the nation’s goods and services, and whether that access is equitable or, compared to others, if it’s fair.

It’s all very good to talk about diversity, but I’d like to suggest that, if not accompanied by action, diversity is just a word, meaningless and empty. Since its inception ten years ago, El Sol Latino has been committed to diversity, to giving equal and equitable access to those who have been underserved and invisible, specifically to Latinos. One look at most newspapers makes it obvious that the majority of stories about Latinos in the media feature only partial and negative aspects of our community: crime, poverty, and poor educational outcomes, among other such stories. I am not suggesting that these stories shouldn’t be told; they are also part of our reality. And although they are problems that must be tackled – and many of us within the Latino community are tackling them in different ways – there are many other stories to be told about us as well.

Latinos are more than problems. We are a diverse community with as many talents and strengths as other communities. We have an urgent desire to make a positive difference in our communities. We have vibrant cultural customs and traditions, and we want to share them with others. We believe in education as the way out of poverty and toward a better future. We are passionate about our families and we are determined to give our children the best possible chance for a good life, even in the face of obstacles that can seem insurmountable. But these stories rarely get told in the mainstream media.

Given who we are, what is the role of a newspaper committed to diversity? It is, first and foremost, to make certain that Latinos are represented in a full and multifaceted way. It is to portray our communities in their complexity and contradictions, neither focusing on the stereotypes about us, nor glorifying our culture and reality. A newspaper committed to diversity makes sure to be present in our workplaces, our community centers, our schools, our celebrations, and our homes. It tells our stories of striving for education, of poetry, of solidarity, of struggles and victories. This is what El Sol Latino has done, and continues to do. It is about affirming diversity in words and actions.

Sonia Nieto, Professor EmeritaLanguage, Literacy, and Culture - College of EducationUniversity of Massachusetts, Amherst

“The media is absolutely essential to the functioning of a democracy. It’s not our job to cozy up to power. We’re supposed to be the check and balance on government.”

Amy Goodman Host and Executive Producer of Democracy Now!, a daily independent global television and radio news program

Cita del Mes/Quote of the Month

El Sol Latino May 20149 1/8 x 5 3/8

Your community radio station, broadcasting 24/7 from the campus of

Springfield Technical Community College

www.wtccfm.org

WTCC is your source for music - from salsa to R&R oldies, gospel to jazz, R&B to

bluegrass, Motown and more, as well asEcos del Ritmo, Cantares Latino-Americanos,

and Club House Dance Music - plus local talk shows with local hosts

discussing local issues.

4 EE EEE EEEEEE November 2014Portada / Front Page

Natalia Muñoz has a winning track record spanning more than twenty yeas in media where she has worked in every aspect of the creative arts and multi-media. Muñoz is an award-winning writer and editor for English- and Spanish-language media, including The Associated Press in Spain; The New York Daily News; The San Juan Star and El Vocero, both in Puerto Rico. She has also been a long time and committed collaborator of the only two Latino-owned newspapers distributed in this region, La Voz Hispana, based in Connecticut, and El Sol Latino.

photo MFR. Natalia Muñoz

In 2010, she founded Verdant Multicultural Media, a multicultural marketing and communication firm that also offers Cultural Competency Consulting.

Since its inception, Verdant has launched marketing campaigns with one of the most innovative and successful advertising in the region such the Live Well Springfield campaign. This multi-media, multi-cultural campaign, in partnership with 6 Point Creative Works, mapped out a strategy to encourage people to exercise and eat healthier.

Another successful campaign was the Mason Square Health Task Force where Verdant’s job was to provide media services, from website management to translations.

El Sol Latino interviewed Natalia for our anniversary edition.

After more than two successful decades in journalism, what led you to create Verdant Multicultural Media?In the United States, the dominant story about everything is told through the lens of Anglo men. This means that the mainstream media, marketers, health-care organizations and most businesses, for profit or non-profit, do not see women, people of color, nor the LGBT communities as being relevant. Just look at political campaigns and commercials. I founded Verdant because all organizations with a mission to make things better, either through health care, fuel assistance, education and the economy, must connect with under-represented communities. Otherwise, everything that is broken will remain broken.

Why did you choose that name?Verdant means green, like the first grass of summer, and I was looking for a word that evoked new conversations. Plus, the name of my business is an acronym of my mother’s name, which is a way to honor Viviana Muñoz Mendoza, my most influential social justice role model.

Why is multicultural advertising so important?Just in terms of health, if we truly want to eradicate health inequities, the strategies to connect with people must be based on reality. For example, black

women are least likely to develop breast cancer but most likely to die from it because they do not have equal access to health care services. What if our health care organizations, from hospitals to clinics to programs, tossed out those stock photos of black families in newspapers and instead connected with real black families to find out how best to make available health services to them? It’s not just about thoughtful advertising, it’s first and foremost about having real and ongoing programs in place based on what the people in this part of Massachusetts say about their challenges. Then design a powerful strategy based on that insight.

What is the relationship between cultural competence and advertising and communication?Cultural competence means that the outreach is based on competent, insightful research of cultures. And this means that there is an intentional process to connect with people based on where they are: For example: Are they undocumented Mexicans or undocumented Dominicans? That makes a difference. Are they from Somalia but haven’t been to their homeland for decades because they were in a refugee camp in Kenya? That makes a difference. Are they Georgian or Russian? Spiritual or religious? Too many people in positions of power prefer to summarize groups of people. That’s a shortcut mined with potholes. That is the sort of thinking that results in a bad translation. As if all that’s needed for a brochure in Spanish is to ask the woman down the hall who’s Latina to translate something into Spanish, and that’s it. Well, that’s wrong. We don’t ask our bank president to translate documents into another language just because he speaks it. Professional translators must be part of the budget, and that means that the organization understand

that there are people from throughout Africa, the Middle East, Latin American, Asia and Europe and we do not all speak the same Spanish, or same French, anymore than English-speakers in Ireland speak the same as northern Australians, or speaking more locally, the phrasing of New Yorkers or of people from New Orleans. There is history to the words and phrases we use. And we all have our own shared histories and personal stories. In the fashion world, manufacturing shirts for all types of people is easy. But health, education and encouraging participation in democracy are areas that require insight for enduring change.

How has Verdant been received and what obstacles have you faced?We find ourselves doing a lot of educating, because many people think that a simple ad on a bus or colorful brochure with a call to action should be enough to compel people to respond. Some people are incredulous that marketing campaigns cost money. As much as we would like to, we cannot change centuries of oppression into a massive wave of voters just because there’s an election. Tragically, even politicians who are guaranteed being elected are loathe to spend a dime on connecting with voters from communities of color.

What are some of the basic strategies that you employ to reach specific cultural groups?In real estate, the mantra is location, location, location. For me, it’s conversation, conversation, conversation. Culturally competent outreach efforts require deep partnerships. There are no short cuts.

In your experience, what approach has been the most successful in reaching your clients’ ethnic markets?Listening to what my client wants, asking questions, digging deep. Then having more conversations with the people my clients want to reach. Then we build the communications strategy.

How do acculturation and cultural affinity play-out in cultural acceptability and sensitivity of marketing stimuli? Our outreach campaigns are based on a genuine intention of connection. Our insight, for example, tells us that a Puerto Rican who comes to the US in their adulthood has different experiences even just linguistically than a Puerto Rican born and raised in the US. We have to take into consideration everything that matters to the person and people that our client wants to engage.

How can we measure cultural sensitivity and cultural acceptability of advertising messages? So much of powerful advertising should be based on common sense (of which Mark Twain said is not common.) I know when an organization or business wants to connect with me based on several factors. For instance, when I look at business magazines, online or in print, I can tell that for the most part, they do not necessary care to connect with a Puerto Rican, or Puerto Rican woman. The same is true when I look at political campaigns, or see who is treating patients at a clinic, and what kind of courses are being taught in middle school and onward. I measure cultural respect with my eyes and gut: do I see it, and if I see it, I am happy or mad?

Natalia Muñoz, Multicultural Marketing Trailblazer by MANUEL FRAU RAMOS

5EE EEE EEEEEE November 2014Portada / Front Page

We Are ONE CityAUGUST 2007- After many years of being witness to the growth and development of the two most important cultural events in the city of Holyoke, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Hispanic Family Festival, some characteristics that I think define both events have caught my attention.

There is little doubt that the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the most important cultural event and tourist attraction in Holyoke. Considering the number of attendees, we could claim that the Hispanic Family Festival is now in second place.

Both events are important not only due to their cultural contribution but also due to the economic impact they have on the region. In addition, they provide the necessary conditions that promote the participation, interaction, and visibility of all ethnic, racial, linguistic, and economic sectors in the region.

In this context, at this time, I would say that there are three important characteristics that seem to define the Irish parade: 1) the strong participation of organizations and businesses in the region, both in the parade as well as sources of financial support, 2) the great participation and visibility of public elected officials, at the local, state and federal levels, who make sure they say, “I am here!” and 3) the “Latinization” that the Irish parade has experienced over the last years. As the parade moves from the K-Mart Plaza to the downtown, the number of Latino spectators increases, wanting to partake of the celebration.

In contrast, the reaction of the non-Latino community of the area towards Latino celebrations is quite different. The participation of a significant part of non-Latinos in the Hispanic Family Festival and its activities is a “shy” one. The business sector does not provide an economic support that can be considered significant, enthusiastic or consistent, even though they benefit from the growing buying power of the Latino population.

In addition, in the Puerto Rican Parade, non-Latino organizations and businesses in the area are mostly represented by their Latino affiliates and employees, and many elected public officials, at every level, are nowhere to be seen.

My point is that the Latino community in the area, year after year, has been increasing its participation, and embracing the festivities of the city of Holyoke. But unfortunately, there does not seem to be any reciprocity. Even to this day, many sectors of the community prefer to keep a distance and have a limited participation in the celebrations of Holyoke organized by the Latino community.

Collateral Damages of Educational English Only PolicyMAY 2009 - In April 2008 we published the results of a study conducted by the Gastón Institute about the situation of Latino students in the Massachusetts public schools. We once again dedicate this space to their new study about Hispanics in the Boston public schools.

The new study analyzes the consequences of the implementation of Question 2 or what is commonly known as English-Only, since 2003 when the new law took effect.

At the time, the opponents of the English-Only movement argued that it constituted a return to a model of teaching English to Latino students that had failed in many urban centers. In other words, the sink or swim or the shock educational doctrine had not worked.

The findings of the new study constitute a challenge to the pedagogical basis used to justify the one-size-fits-all approach of the Sheltered English Immersion programs for Latino students.

The collection of negative consequences that have accumulated since the new law came into effect remind us of the term used to describe and justify the secondary consequences that many times occur during combat: collateral damage.

Among the collateral damages for ELL (English Language Learners) found by the study we have: a significant increase in the drop-out rate; a decrease in the MCAS passing rate, and a wider gap in achievement in relation to both native Spanish speakers and English speakers in general education programs.

In addition, the proportion of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students in ELL programs who participate in Special Education (SPED) programs increased at a greater rate than for other populations both in the case of full or partial inclusion in SPED programs as well as in substantially separate SPED programs.

We don’t have to wait for another study to recognize that the so-called educational reform and the English-Only movement have great limitations and represent obstacles to the progress of Latino students. The collateral damages of the educational policies implemented during the last few years, policies that could have been prevented, are unacceptable.

What is wrong with this picture?Feb 2010 - In our editorial of July 2009, The Million-Dollar Project and Latinos in Holyoke, we raised some questions and doubts regarding the benefits to the Latino community, if any, that the project High Performance Computing Center (HPCC) might have.

In January, the Innovation District Design and Development Task Force, made up of 20 members, held its first meeting. The group has the mission of delineating a plan of economic development for the region, with HPCC as the main axis.

According to the project backers, the interests of all the sectors in the region and of the community in Holyoke are being well represented in the task force. Comments made during the meeting when referring to the group composition, such as, “the right people and the right leadership” reinforce this perception.

However, reality is different. The task force is lacking in diversity and there is no adequate representation of Hispanics, which reinforces our suspicions of whether this project will really bring benefits to the Latino community of Holyoke.

In addition, it seems clear that Holyoke was chosen for various reasons that are not mentioned publicly in the conversations about the project. The absence of Hispanics and the lack of diversity in the group seem to have contributed to the “omission” of this important information.

Some of the aspects that have not been mentioned, but that we consider important are:

1. Where it will be established:• HPCCwillbeestablishedintheheartoftheLatino

community in Holyoke. In three of the four sectors that are being considered for the site, the percent of Hispanics ranges between 83 and 88 per cent. In the fourth sector, the number is 67.7. The interests of these residents are not being represented.

2. Why Holyoke was selected:• Holyokehasaninfrastructurethatmakesit

economically attractive: availability of low cost electricity, easy access to major highways, access to fiber optics, and abundant and cheap real estate.

In addition, the city of Holyoke has one of the highest concentrations of poverty in the state, consisting primarily of Hispanic residents. We can imagine that these data has been used or will be used in one way or another by the HPCC stakeholders, since it help to secure and obtain state and federal aides to establish the project. The interests of these residents are not being represented.

We support the public suggestions made by Carlos González, President of the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Western Massachusetts, Aaron Vega (Holyoke City Council), and Diosdado López (Holyoke City Council and co-owner of El Sol Latino) that the commission should look for the adequate representation of all the residents of Holyoke. Including a few members of the Holyoke Hispanic community in the task force would be a step in the right direction.

We need to make sure that the residents of Holyoke see this project as one that will benefit ALL

Our Points of View Throughout the Years

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El Sol Latino9ºAniversario de

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Continued on page 6

6 EE EEE EEEEEE November 2014Portada / Front Page

residents, and not as a plan that will take advantage of some of them.

Allowing the task force to continue in the same manner as it started, according to Diosdado Lopez, will be similar to having an “Apartheid in Holyoke instead of South Africa.”

Lyman Terrace: a case for the Hispanic CommissionApril 2012 - The proposal for the demolition of Lyman Terrace public housing has given rise to old disputes between the Puerto Rican-Latino poor and the city government. In the past, and now, both sides interpret the economic development and the urban renewal plans dof the city very differently.

This time, we have the city driving an urban renewal plan for downtown that includes the demolition of Lyman Terrace. As in previous cases, a sector of the residents state that this demolition amounts to discrimination against Latinos and poor and object to being removed from their homes.

For the Holyoke Housing Authority, with the blessing of the mayor, the fate of Lyman Terrace is based on simple mathematics. The buildings are so deteriorated that it is cheaper for the city to demolish them than to renew them. They argue that this would also eliminate the crime problem in that project.

But on the other hand, residents argue that the city never intended to renovate these buildings and allowed them to deteriorate to the point where repair is now economically impossible. This leads to Lyman residents thinking that, from the beginning, the true intent of the city was to get them out.

This controversy has once again brought to the forefront bitter memories of many Puerto Ricans / Latinos of other displacements caused by urban renewal projects promoted by the city in the past.

These disagreements were one of the main reasons that led to the birth of the community organization Nueva Esperanza in 1982.

If residents are right in regards to both the economic argument and the modus operandi used by the city to push its agenda of urban renewal, this would raise serious questions about what the true intentions behind the city’s “economic development” plan are.

This old problem should be included in the agenda of the Hispanic Commission proposed by Mayor Alex Morse during his election campaign.

In Holyoke .... Where are the Puerto Ricans?December 2013 - Holyoke has a population of about 40,000, and 1 in every 3 citizens identify themselves as Puerto Rican. It has the largest concentration of Puerto Ricans outside of Puerto Rico, and possibly the highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in Massachusetts.

As soon as there was a news leak that a group of stakeholders had been formed to improve the academic achievement of students of the Morgan School, some members of the Puerto Rican community in Holyoke showed surprise and dissatisfaction with the composition of this group. Apparently there are no Puerto Ricans among the 11 chosen to be part of the group.

Morgan School is located in South Holyoke, one of the areas of the city with the largest concentration of Puerto Ricans. 89% of the student population is Hispanic, most of them Boricuas.

The selection process of the group and hence, its composition, raise questions at the political, educational, and social justice levels. What happened to the discourse and practice about diversity, inclusion, participation, voice for the voiceless, and representative and participatory democracy?

I remember the words of my mentor Dr. Luis Fuentes of the School of Education UMass - Amherst , who several times reminded me that in order to solve problems in the schools, the affected community had to be part of the solution, they had to be stakeholders. In other words, in this case the Puerto Rican community in Holyoke should have representation in this group. The Boricua community needs to be part of the solution by having power, equal participation, and a voice in the process.

These principles are important to legitimize the results in a democratic process. This committee does not meet these important criteria.

I wonder what the Puerto Rican political leadership of Holyoke thinks of this situation.

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Our Point of Views Throughout the Years continued from previous page

7EE EEE EEEEEE November 2014Portada / Front PageOur Stories Throughout the Years

Transformation’ At Holyoke Community CollegeBy Manuel Frau Ramos | June 2006

On May 10 the community in general, but especially the Puerto Rican community of Holyoke, witnessed the official unveiling of the long-awaited Latino mural at Holyoke Community College (HCC).

‘Transformation’, the 40-foot long canvas mural of the Latino Mural Collaborative Project that depicts daily life in the city of Holyoke, is the product of 16 Latino youth, most of the Boricuas residing in Holyoke that worked under the direction of author and painter Deborah Savage.

The mural’s images and message undergo a transformation, from the negative to the positive. To the left, the intense colors, and the dark, poorly defined images appear to represent and transmit a negative message about the experience of growing up in Holyoke. The colors and the figures become lighter and better defined as the transformation towards the positive unfolds. The transformation ends in a note of hope with an angelical figure, and Latino youth looking towards a better future.

The inclusion the Puerto Rican flag in the positive section of the mural highlights the message of ‘transformation’ with more than one interpretation: a better future for the city of Holyoke, and a new phase of Holyoke Community College as an educational institution for all.

It pleases us to see how the mural symbolically replaces what seemed to be an “invisible wall” that separated the college from the Puerto Rican community of Holyoke. The fact that the mural was placed in the Campus Student plaza, a highly visible place that represents the “common” or the “heart” of the building complex that makes up the college, reinforces the message of transformation and inclusion. The mural faces South Holyoke, where most of the Puerto Rican community resides; the “marginalized” are now part of the “center.” The image of the Puerto Rican flag on the right sends a clear message to the Puerto Rican community. Just as the cultural symbols of other ethnic groups are displayed, it was time for the Puerto Rican cultural symbols to be visible in the Holyoke “landscape.”

In the past, the political discourse of welcome and inclusiveness on the part of the administrators did not translate into realities. The lack of Latino students, faculty and administrators, especially Puerto Ricans, demonstrated this rhetorical abyss. As Heriberto “Herbie” Flores, HCC trustee, pointed out not too long ago, “As a Puerto Rican, I have to ask, where has the College been for years? This College at this point does not reflect the African American community or the Puerto Rican community.”

We hope the Latino Mural Project marks the beginning of a real transformation at Holyoke Community College.

OOPS… WFCR 88.5 Radio Did It Again!By Dr. Manuel Frau-Ramos | Ferbruary 2007

On a cold January morning, the Latino community woke up to the news that the public radio station WFCR 88.5 FM was going to cancel Tertulia.

The news not only caught us by surprise; it opened old wounds. On February 1980, Robert Goldfarb, then general manager of WFCR decided to cancel ¿Qué Tal, Amigos?, the station’s only program in Spanish. The show was co-produced by Sonia Vives and Julio Torres and had been on the air for 10 years.

Goldfarb made the decision due to the fact that he wanted the station’s programming to include “high art” music and considered ¿Qué Tal, Amigos? “too popular.” He went further by saying that the station was not going to invest too many resources on a radio program that “unjustly discriminates against people who don’t speak Spanish.”

The crisis ended after a sit-in and demonstrations in Chancellor Henry Koffer’s office. The agreement reached by both all parties included the re-establishment of the program 4 days a week in its regular prime-time slot. Originally, the program aired 6 days a week.

Another agreement was to include minorities on the stations’ board and to create an advisory committee that would serve as liaison between Goldfarb and minorities and the Spanish-speaking communities. WFCR further agreed to make public its budget and the way it was distributed.

Two and a half decades after the ¿Qué Tal, Amigos? fiasco, WFCR once again makes decisions that reflect cultural insensibility and ignorance. This time, even though non-Latino newspapers wrote about the changes in WFCR’S programming, they only interviewed English-speaking listeners for their articles.

Martin Miller, the station’s general manager, indicates that the low audience numbers, lack of money, and a “better distribution” of their limited resources are the main reasons for the cuts. Tertulia is identified as the program with the lowest audience numbers. It would be interesting to find out how the station came to the conclusion that Tertulia has low audience numbers, when we all know that within the Latino community it has always been a hit.

In addition, Helen Barrington, of WFCR, indicated that Tertulia was the program that also received the least amount of listener support when the news broke out that it was going to be cancelled. This is not surprising to us due to the fact that the news was only published in English-speaking newspapers. Therefore, it is understandable that a large sector of the Spanish-speaking population was oblivious to these changes.

The decision to eliminate Tertulia was made based on a “strategy business plan”, and the recommendations of the “advisory board”, the “diversity committee”, and the staff. In addition, they pointed out that a national study conducted with Latinos shows that they prefer “talk shows” rather than music programs.

The role of Hispanics in this decision-making process appears to have been minimum or non-existent. As it happened in the controversy with the program, ¿Qué Tal Amigos, the tastes and preferences of the Latino community once again are ignored. Once again WFCR tries to impose radio programming that is foreign to the reality of the Hispanic communities of the Pioneer Valley.

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ElSolLatino_quarter_Color_9-25.indd 3 9/25/14 1:38 PM

Volume 2, No. 7 June 2006Volume 2, No. 7 June 2006

3‘Transformación’en HolyokeCommunityCollege

4LULAC and NCLROppose ”EnglishOnly”


Volume 3 No. 3February2007

Continued on page 8

8 EE EEE EEEEEE November 2014

The “New” Status of Latino EducationApril 2009 | The Gastón Institute at the University of Massachusetts -Boston released the findings of its new study about the condition of Latino students in the Commonwealth’s public schools.

The Status of Latino Education in Massachusetts: A Report, by Nicole Levan and Mirén Uriarte, is the latest and unique research about Latino education made by the Gastón Institute.

Levan and Uriarte’s report is a follow-up study to Latino Students and the Massachusetts Public Schools published by the Gastón Institute in 2000. At that time, the Massachusetts school reform was almost ten years old and the famous high-stakes test, Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), was barely in place.

The report presented a historical context and general overview of rapid growing Latino enrollment in the Commonwealth’s schools, and their “untouched” educational outcomes under the educational reform. Latinos had the highest dropout rate for any group in the state and the highest failure rate in all areas (English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science), for all grades, in the first-ever testing round using the MCAS.

The Status of Latino Education in Massachusetts is unique because it not only looks at how Latino students are performing in public schools but it also appraises what areas of academic achievement are the most problematic. In addition, it examines the intertwining relationship between school engagement and academic achievement.

In the last 5 years, Latino enrollments in Massachusetts’ public schools have increased by 22.7%, constituting the fastest growing group. Right now they make up 13.3% of the total public school student population: Lawrence 87%, Chelsea 77%, Holyoke 74% and Springfield 50%.

The report concludes that Latino student engagement with the schools, and their educational experience “is tenuous, at best”.

•Latinoshavethehighestratesofabsencesandin-schoolsuspensionscompared to other racial/ethnic groups. Their out-of-school suspension rates are second only to those of Black children.

•ThecohortdropoutrateforLatinostudentsstands at 26.5%, that is, more than one quarter of Latino students that start in the 9th grade drop out of school before graduation. Latinos have the highest dropout rate of any racial/ethnic group.

•OnlyfiftysevenpercentofLatinostudentsgraduate from high school in four years. Theirs is the lowest graduation rate of any group.

MCAS test results, used to measure student educational achievement, show that for many Latino students, scores are still too low. In English Language Arts (ELA), the percentage of Latino students in elementary school that obtained a Warning score rose from 26% in 2001-2002 to 29% in 2005-2006.

The percent of Warning Math scores for the same period of time was “slightly better”, with only a 2% increase.

The MCAS results in the Middle School grades present a confusing picture. While the percentage of Latino students whose scores lie within the Warning category in the ELA section has been increasing during the past four years, from 19% to 25%, the percentage of Math Warning/Failure scores has decreased slightly at all levels.

The persistent achievement gap between Latino students and other racial and ethnic groups continues be a concern in spite of the fact that the difference in scores has slowly been narrowing at all levels.

Educating Puerto Ricans in the US: The Struggle for Equityby MANUEL FRAU RAMOS | February 2013

Educating Puerto Ricans in the U.S.: The Struggle for Equity is the title of the inaugural speech made by Dr. Luis Fuentes, Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, at the Symposium on Puerto Rican Migration and Education in April 1993.

The symposium, held at UMass-Amherst, was the first in the region to gather a considerable number of Puerto Rican professionals and educators, both from the island and from the Northeast.

Veteran classroom teachers, principals, researchers, academics, school psychologists, lawyers, parents, school board members, school students, and administrators, both from the university sector and the public schools participated in the symposium.

As we are about to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of this event, it is interesting to revisit the topics in the education of Puerto Ricans that were discussed at that time.

Unfortunately, we find that 20 years later, the same topics are still being discussed.

Ironically, most of the topics discussed at the symposium in 1993, were not even new then. Many of them had been investigated, analyzed and discussed in educational and political circles for over half a century.

Much of the discussion about these issues arises as a result of the massive influx of Puerto Rican students in public schools in the big cities of the Northeast, especially New York City.

In his presentation, Dr. Fuentes described the harsh reality of the situation and experience of Puerto Ricans and other Latinos in the public schools of Springfield, Worcester, Lawrence, Boston and Holyoke. For Dr. Fuentes, the poor educational experience of Puerto Rican students in many public schools in the area was similar to that of their compatriots in the city of New York.

Real life examples provided by some conference participants confirmed the precarious situation of the students of the region and pointed to the prevailing problems of discrimination, prejudice, quality of education, lack of administrators, staff, and bilingual teachers, lack of Latinos in the power structure within school districts, the high rate of students leaving school without a diploma, the high rate of suspensions and discipline, poor participation of parents in school life of their sons / daughters, cultural insensitivity, material and educational curriculum outside the cultural, economic and social, the high rate of student mobility, and special education for bilingual students.

One of the panels that drew the most attention was the one from Holyoke. The panel Education, Equity, and the Courts, composed of lawyers William Norris and Alan Rom, and Lillian Santiago, representative of the Hispanic Parent Advisory Council (known as the Bilingual PAC) described the highs and lows of the settlement in Federal Court between the Holyoke Public School and HPAC, known as the Consent Decree.

This decree was issued to ensure equity in educational opportunities for Puerto Rican students in the Holyoke Public Schools. The Consent Decree is still in force.

The symposium went well beyond quantification and description of problems. Different and innovative educational strategies and models aimed at correcting and improving the situation were presented. Dr. Peter Negroni, Superintendent of the Springfield Public Schools, gave a presentation entitled The Transformation of American Public Schools: Puerto Ricans Perspective, and Dr. Maddie Márquez, Dr. Sonia Nieto and Betty Medina Lichtenstein, a member of the Holyoke School Committee at that time, formed a panel on Policy Issues for Educating Puerto Ricans.

The suggestions made by the Puerto Rican experts fell on deaf ears. Few, if any, of the ideas or strategies have been considered or implemented.

We can conclude that after twenty years, the struggle for equity in the education of Puerto Ricans has progressed to a crawl. For a considerable number of students, the educational experience is equal to that of those 20 years ago. This is disappointing and remains unacceptable.

Our Stories Throughout the Years continued from previous pagePortada / Front Page





February 2013

Volume 9 No. 3

Puerto Rican Migration & Education

9EE EEE EEEEEE November 2014

Living on the outskirts of hope: A new War on Poverty fifty years later

Lo Siniestro por JOSÉ RAÚL GONZÁLEZ

Las escenas mas siniestras también atraen a los espectadores. El arte contemporáneo ha revolucionado el concepto clásico de belleza y ha encontrado en lo feo un tema que explotar. Nos gusta la belleza pero también nos atrae lo siniestro. Así las “mejores imágenes” de la televisión pueden ser un accidente múltiple, los golpes que se dan jugadores de jockey sobre hielo ante el entusiasmo del público, etc. Lo siniestro, que es cruel, también nos atrae y llama poderosamente nuestra atención.

En sentido figurado, el adjetivo siniestro es lo contrario del lado diestro. O sea, es lo que está al lado izquierdo, es lo torcido, lo mal intencionado, lo que tiene propensión o inclinación al mal, y tiene que ver con el mal agüero.

Según el psiquiatra Max Hernández, siniestro es aquello que siendo terriblemente familiar y debiendo

permanecer oculto se expone y muestra un aura de extrañeza que inquieta y provoca espanto. Es como que súbitamente se transforma de un mundo conocido, familiar, por momentos amable, en un mundo desconocido, hostil, peligroso, pero en el que sin embargo se percibe el elemento de lo familiar. Es una vivencia contradictoria entre lo extraño que parece propio y lo propio que se esta tornando extraño y parece augurar catástrofes.

Cuando se mezcla la realidad con la fantasía se produce esa sensación de siniestro. Cuando emergen de nuestro inconsciente cosas que teníamos ocultadas, reprimidas, es que sentimos esa sensación de lo siniestro. Es una presencia algo fuera de contexto. Por ejemplo: una oreja en medio de un jardín, o las imágenes tremendas y sutiles magnificamente perversas.

Asimismo siniestro es algo que debiendo haber permanecido oculto sale a la luz y provoca morbo.

Por ejemplo, lo que se exhibe en los programas de televisión reality shows (mostrando la realidad). Lo siniestro es la condición límite de lo bello, en el sentido de que tiene que mostrarse sutilmente de tal manera que no invada completamente la representación (como ocurre en algunas malas películas de terror), ante lo que tendríamos que apartar la mirada.

Lo siniestro es un componente muy de nuestro tiempo pero con unas raíces profundas seculares, inclusive data de la mitología. Actualmente hay mucha violencia que lleva a lo siniestro, incluyendo las guerras. Finalmente, existen dos realidades que son tapadas por la sociedad y la moral, el sexo y la muerte, en las que puede existir lo siniestro.

El autor es natural de Perú, abogado y sociólogo. Fue Magistrado en Lima, y Catedrático en la Universidad de San Martin de Porres. Email: [email protected]

by MIGUEL ARCE and WALTER MULLIN

It has been 50 years since President Johnson declared a “War on Poverty”. On January 8, 1964, Johnson described the plight of Americans who “live on the outskirts of hope” because of poverty or race. He declared an unconditional war on poverty in America. Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start and other federal programs would follow in a historic rush of legislation. Fifty years later, the safety net has a hole in it. Military spending overshadows other priorities. The richest 1% and corporations receive huge tax breaks. The current system of privately financed election campaigns encourages politicians to put the private interests ahead of the need of the poor. There is a growing disparity of income groups. Stubbornly high long term unemployment has been a signature feature of the current recession and its aftermath. This is a clear call to action.

According to Catholic Charities, in 2012, 46.5 million people lived at or below the federal poverty line—15% of the entire United States population, meaning one out of seven people in the United States were living in poverty. In 2014, the Census Bureau reported that the number of children living in poverty changed from 2012 by .5%; still leaving 14.7 million children in poverty…14.7 million children.

Over 21% of all children live in poverty defined as $23,550 a year for a family of four. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 46% of children under the age of 18 in poverty were living in mother-only households. Twenty point five million people do not even make enough money to live at the poverty level. Instead, they live at half the poverty level, on less than about $9,500 a month for a family of three. This represents one out of sixteen people in the United States living in “deep poverty”. We need to create a new social agenda to end poverty for the next 50 years.

The problem: What’s happening in America? Communities throughout the United States are in crisis. In the last 50 years, the economic and social fabric of our society has changed significantly. The emergency cannot be understated. The local economies are eroding. There are fewer jobs than people looking for work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates 17 million people are unemployed and underemployed and there are only 4.5 million job openings. An astonishing number of people work at low wage jobs. People at the bottom of the economy find it impossible to make ends meet while many people rely on two or more jobs just to get by. Households with only one wage earner, mostly

single mothers, find it difficult to support a family. The children and their families lack basic needs for a minimum standard of well-being and life, particularly as a result of a persistent lack of income. Twenty two percent of all children live in poverty, defined as $23,550 a year for a family of four.

Census data reveals that low income households are seeing limited benefits from the economic growth, four years into the economic recovery. The poverty rate is higher than 2007; just before the start of the great recession. Parents are not able to make ends meet. Childhood hunger is all too common. Households are running out of food before the end of the month. Funding for social programs directed at families living in poverty is continuously being reduced. Food security programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs are being cut back, which would reduce benefits by an average of $36 a month for a household of four.

Solutions: There is no debate about the critical necessity of the poor. It is essential to help people seek and fight for solutions to their concrete, daily, local and immediate problems. We must launch a campaign for a new war on poverty that goes beyond expecting people to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”.

There is a clear call for action to assure that no child goes to bed hungry. The action starts by stating the facts and openly discussing the problem. There is a demand for a new orientation which embraces fairness for disenfranchised children and other vulnerable groups. We must make efforts to ameliorate poverty and make it a national priority. Poverty, 50 years after the battle cry declaring “a war on poverty”, continues to be the greatest challenge for Americans.

The 50th anniversary is a perfect time to review the realities of the War on Poverty. We need to create a new social agenda to end poverty for the next 50 years.

Opinión / Opinion

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10 EE EEE EEEEEE November 2014¿Qué Pasa en...?Holyoke

Jonas Maldonado Receives ScholarshipJonas Maldonado, Forward for the 17U Hornets recieved the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship which provides a tuition waiver for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at a Massachusetts state college or university.

Being that we pride ourselves in bolstering the strong of Student-Athletes at DREAM Elite, we are extremely proud of there accomplishments. Look for this duo to wreak havoc on the circuit this upcoming Spring!

Jonas Maldonado is a student (Junior, Class 2016) at the Paulo Freire Charter School in Holyoke with a GPA of 3.80. In addition to his basketball skills he plays soccer and is a versatile musician. He plays the guitar, the cuatro, and sings.

Jonas is the son of Mónica and Luis Rivera, and the grandson of two well-known pleneros in this area, Lydia y Juan Vélez

Photo suministred. Jonas Maldonado was recently interviewed in Mass Appeal show of 22 WWLP.

Wistariahurst Museum: NOVEMBER Events 2014Sunday, November 9 at 3:00 pmString and Wind Quartet Performance by the Holyoke Civic SymphonySpend the afternoon with string and wind instrument players from the Holyoke Civic Symphony in an intimate setting at Wistariahurst. A variety of classical favorites will be performed for your listening pleasure. Musicians from the orchestra include: Fred Henle, violin; Helen Chesworth, violin; Diana Cole, viola; Audrey Barker Plotkin, cello; Jennifer Peters, cello; Jennifer Quynn-Dale, flute; Louise Antony, flute. This event is sponsored by New England Public Radio and the NEPR News Network. FREE, donations accepted.

Monday, November 10 at 6:00 pmHistorical Lecture Series: Threads that Bind – Textiles in the Connecticut River Valley: Quilt History -Why Does it Matter?Come explore quilt history with Jane Crutchfield, Western MA Coordinator of the Mass Quilt Documentation Project which has documented over 7,000 pre-1950 quilts. MassQuilts encourages the study and preservation of quilts and demonstrates that these textiles convey important insights about the lives of MA women from the colonial period to the present. Jane will bring along a few antique quilts that presented mysteries for discussion and encourages attendees to bring their own mystery quilts to share. Jane will also give guidance on how to be a detective in one’s own quilt research. $7 general / $5 members

Monday, November 17 at 6:00 pmGenealogy Lecture - Pulling the People out of the PaperworkDave Robison of Old Bones Genealogy will present the basics of genealogy and family research. He will be giving guidance on how to start your research, types of sources and websites, how to interview relatives, how to organize data and using family tree software. Attendees will receive templates for family group sheets and pedigree charts, sample census records as well as the contents of various census records from 1790-1940. $7 general / $5 members

Gateway City Arts Celebrara Evento Navideño

Reserve la fecha: 12 de diciembre será la primera parranda anual de Holyoke al estilo Latino. Venga a cantar Plenas en la hermosa comunidad de Holyoke desde las 4pm hasta las 6pm. La fiesta continuará desde las 7pm hasta 12 de la noche en nuestras facilidades en el HUB en la 92 Race Street en Holyoke.

Celebre su próximo evento en ARTES de Gateway City (GCA). ¡Algunos de los mejores eventos y espacio de actuación en el Valle del Pioneer! Disponible para alquilar para funciones públicas y privadas, incluyendo: fiestas, conciertos, actuaciones recaudación de fondos y mucho más. Clima controlado, licencia de cerveza/licor y hablamos español.

Contacte a Jeannette Gordon ([email protected]) para información/donación respecto a parranda o para eventos en GCA [email protected].

Bomba y Plena en el Council on AgingEl Holyoke Council on Aging será el anfitrion de una función musical y bailable que resaltará la cultura de Puerto Rico a través de una de las corrientes musicales mas autóctonas de la cultura puertorriqueña, la “Bomba y la Plena.”

Los miembros del grupo latino, Reunión Social, están organizando con mucho orgullo una obra llena de color que demuestra nuestro orgullo cultura y folclórico.

El evento es abierto al público. Unanse a nosotros el 19 de noviembre de 2014 a las 4:00pm en el nuevo edificio del Council on Aging localizado en el 291 Pine Street, Holyoke.

Publish your bilingual ad in El Sol Latino!

Call us today at (413) 320-3826


Holyoke¿Qué Pasa en...?

Mercado Comunitario Busca Nuevos MiembrosLa junta directiva del Mercado Comunitario de Holyoke está extendido una invitación a aquellos que estén interesados en participar en esta organización comunitaria.

La junta directiva esta formada por: David Gowler, Cynthia Espinosa Marrero, Gabriel Quaglia, Heather Barrett, Adrian Dahlin, Betsy Misch y Raúl Fernando Loayza Galván. En el pasado, hemos tenido reuniones mensuales. Luego de comentarios sobre nuestras reuniones, la junta directiva decidió no hacer más reuniones informativas mensuales. Ahora seremos anfitriones de eventos para celebrar comida, comunidad y cooperativas, las tres C.

Una de las ideas es tener eventos de comidas donde las personas traen algo para compartir. Estamos en proceso de concluir nuestro evento antes de finales de este año. ¡Esperamos que todos sean parte de este evento! Estaremos dándole mas información a la comunidad sobre este evento con folletos, publicación en Facebook (Holyoke Food Coop Planning Group) y otros, así que ¡estén pendientes!

A continuación dos preguntas importantes que la junta directiva decidió contestar sobre el por qué Holyoke necesita un Mercado Comunitario y cómo los residentes de Holyoke se pueden beneficiar.

¿Por qué Holyoke necesita un Mercado Comunitario?Un mercado de propiedad de la comunidad puede proporcionar opciones de alimentos saludables y asequibles, apoyar a los agricultores y productores locales, ofrecer un empleo significativo y generar beneficios para la comunidad. Este mercado podría servir como un concepto básico del desarrollo económico positivo en Holyoke.

¿Cómo podría un mercado comunitario en Holyoke beneficiarle?•¡Elmercadoestaráabiertoparatodos!Cualquierpersonapodrácomprarenelmercadocomunitario.•Losmiembrosrecibenunporcentajededescuentoporsuscompras.•¡Comprelocalmente!Comprandobienesproducidoslocalmentereduceelimpactoambiental.•¡Datuopinión!Losmiembrosvotanenlaseleccionesyparticipanenlasdecisionesdelacooperativa.•¡Comasaludable!Los alimentos naturales benefician la salud de su familia, los productores y cultivadores.•¡Ayudeasuambiente!Laproducciónnaturalysostenible,ylasprácticas de cultivo benefician el suelo, agua y aire local.

Para más información, pueden comunicarse al 413-400-2538 ó por correo electrónico [email protected].

Actividades de Noviembre del Salón de Computadora

El Programa deAlfabetización (ABE) es un curso que ofrecerá a hispanoparlantes la oportunidad de mejorar sus habilidades de escritura y lectura en español. Las clases se reunirán todos los martes a las 9 am, el 4, 18 y 25 por 50 minutos en el Group Study Room de la Biblioteca.

Learn Spanish! es un programa que ofrecerá actividades educativas para personas que están interesadas en aprender español como segundo idioma. Aquellos que quieran practicar su español también son bienvenidos. Martes a las 9 am, el 4, 18 y 25 por 1 hora en el Group Study Room de la Biblioteca.

Configuración de Lectores Electrónicos le ayudará a configurar su iPad, Nook, Kindle o cualquier lector electrónico para utilizar los libros electrónicos y audiolibros de la bibiotecha. Sábado 1 y 15 de 9 am hasta el mediodía.

ESL Open Lab. ¡Aprenda inglés utilizando nuestras computadoras! Durante los días de laboratorio de inglés, usted podrá venir a nuestra salón de computadoras y aprender inglés utilizando USA Learns. ¡No estará solo o sola! Proveeremos asistencia con el uso de la computadora y con el sistema de enseñanza del lenguaje. Jueves 6, 13 y 20 de 11 am a 6:00 pm.

Word básico. Este taller le ayudará a desarrollar destrezas básicas en el uso y manejo del editor de texto Microsoft Word. Miércoles 5 de 10:30 pm hasta el mediodía.

La Web para principiantes. Este taller le equipará con los conceptos básicos acerca de la Web. También usted tendrá la oportunidad de navegar la web y hacer búsquedas. Sábado 22 de 11 am hasta el mediodía.

Email para principiantes, Este taller le presentará los conocimientos básicos sobre emails, incluyendo: cómo escribir un email, cómo leer un email, cómo adjuntar archivos, y cómo responder o reenviar un mensaje. Sábado 17 de 11 am hasta el mediodía.

Microsoft Office para principiantes Este taller le permitirá conocer sobre los cuatro software básicos de Microsoft Office: Word, PowerPoint, Excel y Publisher. Sábado 24 de 11 am hasta el mediodía.

En Holyoke y Más Allá..... ¡el que calla, otorga!Meses atrás nos sorprendió

que muchos líderes políticos y comunitarios del área mantuvieron silencio total

durante la controversia del video del bombero Timothy J. Leary. En ese video, Leary aparece haciendo comentarios racistas y ofensivos sobre

el Concejal de origen puertorriqueño Anthony Soto.

A finales de septiembre, dos meses después de esta controversia del video, explotó en los medios de comunicación social y posteriormente en los medios noticiosos locales, una nueva controversia acerca de un mural público de David Flores. El mural, con un tema puertorriqueño, desató un desacuerdo de dónde exhibirlo en Holyoke.

La controversia sobre el mural pasó de ser una noticia local a una nacional, siendo incluida en artículos publicados en Fox News Latino y en la revista La Respuesta. Aún así, la mayoría del liderato Latina/o, especialmente los Boricuas, continuaron guardando silencio y alejados de la controversia.

La ausencia de comunicados de prensa y/o entrevistas televisadas o radiales, y la falta de pronunciamientos públicos acerca de esta nueva controversia hablan por sí solos.

Una vez mas, como dice el dicho… el que calla, otorga.

In Holyoke and Beyond..... silence means consent! Months ago we were surprised that many political and community leaders in the area remained completely silent during the controversy regarding the video of firefighter Timothy J. Leary. In this video, Leary is seen making racist and offensive comments about City Councilor Anthony Soto, who is of Puerto Rican origin.

In late September, two months after this video controversy, a new controversy exploded in the social media and later in local news media outlets over a public mural by David Flores. The mural, with a Puerto Rican theme, sparked a disagreement about its display in Hoyoke.

The controversy over the mural went from being a local story to a national one, and was featured in articles published in Fox News Latino and the new magazine La Respuesta. Still, most of the Latina/o leadership, especially Boricuas, maintained their silence and their distance from the controversy.

The lack of press releases and/or television or radio interviews, and the lack of public statements about this new controversy speak for themselves.

Once again, as the saying goes ... silence means consent.

TINTA HOT CALIENTE INKPor Manuel Frau Ramos

~ A L I B R A R Y I N A P A R K ~Holyoke Public Library


The Voices Behind the MicrophoneWednesdays - Frank González is the current program coordinator for Ecos, with assistance from fellow host Pedrito Delgado. Frank was born in Spanish Harlem in NYC and brought up in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico. He remembers, as an 18- or 19-year old Golden Gloves boxer at the Holyoke Boys’ Club, once beating John Scully, then 16, who later became a world welterweight contender. González dreamed of being a world champion boxer, but between a heavy academic load and working three jobs, he finally decided he couldn’t do everything, and had to choose a focus.

González is a 17-year firefighter in Chicopee as well as a licensed EMT, a paramedic since 2000, and an interpreter, especially in medical locations. He has a degree in Accounting from AIC. As Frank says, he “wears a lot of hats.” His 20-year military experience includes the Army Reserves, Air National Guard, and Army Guard.

Frank was part of the sales team at WSPR, learned production to do underwritings, and sometimes did translations on the air, occasionally sitting in for an absent DJ. He’s met some celebrities through his work, including Marc Anthony.

Joining WTCC-FM in 1993 at the recommendation of Ozzie Alban, Frank filled in when needed, often at night, and later was given the time slot of midnight to 5:00 a.m. He remembers biking from Holyoke in the middle of the night, with his music in a backpack. On his Wednesday program, González plays contemporary tropical music with some tropical oldies: baladas, salsa, merengue, bachata, and salsa clásica.

Thursdays - Angel Oliveras Sr., born in Puerto Rico, hosts Ecos on Thursdays – “he plays pure salsa,” says DiGioia. He followed his son Angel Jr. to WTCC. He’s been hosting Ecos for 18 years and plays salsa classics from the 60s, 70s and early 80s. “A lot of

people love it, and I get lots of calls,” he says, “requesting songs, or to chat.” People call from “Hartford, Amherst, all over.”

”Salsa was very popular in the 70s and 80s, then it changed to salsa romántica. That’s OK,” he says, “but it used to be good.” He lists “musicians like Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Richie Ray, Bobbie Cruz – and El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.”

Oliveras collects and plays the classic recordings, especially from New York – “Larry Harlow, Luis Ramírez, Ruben Blades, Willie Colón, Hector Lavoe, Bobby Valentín, Willie Rosario. Celia Cruz from Cuba sang with Tito and Johnny Pacheco. Back then, if you wanted to be anything, you went to New York.”

Fridays- Pedrito Delgado has been a member of WTCC-FM since 1985. He assists as program coordinator, hosts the Friday program - alternating with Carlos Padilla - and covers other days when DJs can’t be there. Born in Puerto Rico, he lived in

New York briefly, then Chicopee, and has been living in Springfield since 1974.

Delgado enjoys training other station members. When he had an early morning show on Mondays from 2:00-6:00 a.m., he often used it to train others, especially those who were having difficulty in English. As an Ecos del Ritmo host since 1987, Pedro focuses on salsa. “I play lots of music – bachata, merengue, salsa, and more, when people call in, but my special music is salsa,” he says. “Salsa is #1 in Puerto Rico for music – you get it inside, in your body.” And of course, he loves dancing.

Carlos Padilla, known as El Gigante de la Radio, has hosted a Christian program on WACM for more than eight years, and has been an Ecos host – alternating with Pedro on Fridays – for the past two years.

“Radio for me is my hobby – it’s in my blood,” he says.

Padilla earned his FCC license in 1990, having moved north from Puerto Rico in 1989. He has been a mechanic in area country clubs for many years, but music is his main focus, and he’s created a production studio in his house.

“I enjoy Ecos a lot”, he says. “Working close to the people is nice. It’s real busy on Fridays, with a lot of calls.”

Padilla is proud of his response time in filling listener requests, and with good reason – he has nearly 20,000 recordings loaded on his hard drive. “People love it,” he says. “They call you for a song, and you put it right on the air.” The hard drive is efficiently organized, listing 3622 bachatas, 6534 salsas in one folder and 2633 salsas in another – because “lots of people love the salsa” – plus 3833 merengues, 3114 more bachatas, 1627 boleros, and 27 folders of Christian music, as well as “lots of effects like metal.”

Padilla’s favorite group is El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, and his long-time goal is to interview the bandleader. “But he’s real busy,” says Carlos. “I think they’re in Japan right now, and sometimes they’re in Peru; they go everywhere in the world.”

Chico Jiménez has essentially two careers: law enforcement and teaching salsa, and he also fills in

on the Ecos program on Fridays, when his busy schedule permits. A police officer in Northampton for 26 years, with a degree in criminal justice, he has also served in the Marines, the Army Guard, and the Air Force Reserve from which he retired after 16 years.

Chico learned to love salsa as a child in Puerto Rico and later in Holyoke, watching his mother dance. He’s done so well, entering (and winning) salsa competitions, including one in South Beach, that he has also been coaching salsa (often for a wedding or

birthday party) and teaching it for 20 years. For the past eight years he has taught popular salsa classes at the American Legion in Hadley. Jimenez has been a mobile DJ for 37 years now, and says salsa is like therapy – “If I have a hectic, stressful day, I’ll go teaching and dancing.”

Other long-time Latino programs on WTCC-FM include Cantares Latino-Americanos, hosted by Raquel Obregón, occasionally assisted by Marco Dermith or Orlando Zayas, and the Club House Dance Music programs, currently hosted by José

Ortiz, Phillip Anthony, and Becky Osorio. Early on Sunday mornings, Hector Claudio hosts Spanish Gospel.

In our past edition we inadvertently omitted the photo of host Antonio DiGioia.

WTCC-FM’s diverse lineup of local area heritage and culture also includes programs of Greek, Portuguese, Italian, Caribbean, Polish, and Native American music and information.

For more information on WTCC 90.7 FM, please see www.wtccfm.org.

(This is the second part of to two articles)

Música/ Music Latin Rhythms Link Area Communities Through WTCC 90.7 FM (Part 2)

Frank González

Antonio DiGioia

Chico Jiménez

Pedrito Delgado

Carlos Padilla

Angel Oliveras


Dra. Alliam Reagan Regresa a SpringfieldDra. Alliam Reagan, una de los miembros de la clase de residentes de Baystate Medical Center de 2018 es natural o NACIDA y criada en Springfield. Reagan completará su residencia de cuatro años en medicina interna, con especialización en atención primaria. Alliam decidió volver a su lugar de origen para completar su residencia y atender a pacientes en su comunidad, siguiendo los pasos de su padre.

Alliam Reagan se graduó de la escuela superior Springfield Central en 2005. Posteriormente obtuvo su bachillerato de en la Universidad de Massachusetts Amherst, donde se especializó en psicología y biología. Estudio medicina el la Escuela de Medicina de la Universidad de Massachusetts en Worcester.

1. ¿Por qué decidió ser médico?“La razón principal por la que quise ser médico fue poder volver a Springfield y brindar servicio a mi comunidad como médico de cabecera. Mi interés en la medicina comenzó en la escuela secundaria. Mi padre era médico y también hizo su residencia en Baystate Medical Center. Él me transmitió su pasión por la atención centrada en el paciente. Recuerdo haberlo acompañado a una clínica para examinar los pies de pacientes diabéticos. Desde una edad muy temprana ya estaba involucrada en la medicina. Mi padre cumplió un papel muy importante en la comunidad, y desde entonces siempre me vi haciendo lo mismo.”

2. ¿Por qué decidió ser médico de cabecera? “Desde el momento en que decidí ser médico, supe que lo que realmente quería hacer era medicina interna. Cuando estudiaba medicina pasé un tiempo en el hospital, pero aún allí me di cuenta que me iba a concentrar en trabajar con pacientes en la comunidad. Los médicos de cabecera están en la primera línea y pueden hacer más por los pacientes. Tienen que lidiar con los aspectos físicos, psicológicos y sociales de la medicina, y otros aspectos relacionados. Uno no solo tiene que tener en cuenta los aspectos físicos de una enfermedad, sino también la comunidad que rodea al paciente, y otros aspectos como por ejemplo por qué una persona no está tomando sus medicamentos. Los médicos de cabecera son una parte muy importante de la comunidad. Por ejemplo, si uno de los pacientes tiene un problema de vivienda, no tiene recursos para

comprar anteojos (espejuelos) o tiene algún otro problema social, el médico generalmente es el que primero se entera, y el que más puede ayudarlo.”

3. ¿Qué espera aprender y cuáles son sus expectativas al comenzar su residencia ?“A mí me gusta aprender un montón de cosas nuevas, y voy a aprovechar cada rotación nueva en las múltiples unidades médicas del hospital. Quiero aumentar mis conocimientos de medicina interna y trabajar con todo el equipo de atención del paciente. El cuerpo académico de Baystate es excelente, no solo en mi departamento sino en todas las demás especialidades médicas, como también lo son los demás residentes con quienes he trabajado. Estoy entusiasmada de poder formar parte de una comunidad médica que realmente pone énfasis en la calidad, la atención del paciente y la diversidad.”

4. ¿Por qué decidió hacer su residencia en Baystate?Quería volver al oeste de Massachusetts, y en especial a Springfield. Sin duda soy una chica típica del oeste de Massachusetts, y siempre quise volver a casa para completar mi residencia. Mi esposo también es de aquí, y yo sigo teniendo familiares en Springfield, así que para mí era importante volver a la comunidad donde crecí.”

5. ¿Qué consejo le daría a alguien que está pensando en ser médicos?“El mejor consejo que les puedo dar es que traten de ganar la mayor experiencia posible en la atención de pacientes. Como mi padre es médico, tuve una exposición temprana al campo de la medicina, y me dio una buena

Salud / Health

Foto suministrada. Dra. Alliam Reagan

Mercy Women’s Health Services

306 Race StreetHolyoke, MA 01040

413-536-7385

475 Sumner AvenueSpringfield, MA 01108

413-886-0410

Your Health is Important to Us MercyCare-Forest Park and MercyCare-Holyoke are recognizing National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Free screenings in October for women without health insurance.

Monday, October 27 – Friday, October 31, 2014The centers will provide:

• A FREE Physical, PAP screening and STD check for women without health insurance

• Mammogram referrals • Assistance with applying for Mass Health • Educational materials and referrals

For additional information or to schedule an appointment, call MercyCare-Forest Park at 413-886-0410 or MercyCare-Holyoke at 413-536-738

Continued on page 14


Rubén Urbina, residente de Holyoke por mas de cinco décadas, fue reconocido por la ciudad de Holyoke por su aportación al deporte de la ciudad con una placa en su honor en el Parque McNally, popularmente conocido como el parque de la Flats.

La ceremonia, celebrada el 12 de julio previo a los juegos finales de la temporada de softball de la Liga de los Mayores Miguel Cruz Jr., atrajo a representantes de la ciudad, políticos, viejos amigos y familiares provenientes de North Carolina. Entre estos se encontraba el hermano mayor de Rubén, Rafael Urbina.

Rubén llegó a Holyoke tras servir en el ejército y se ubicó en la Flats, donde junto a su esposa Gloria Martínez, crió a sus hijas Jessica, Rosie y Gloria. Estas prepararon este evento como una sorpresa para su cumpleaños.

El Comisionado de Parques y Recreos de la ciudad, Terrance Murphy, participó en la ceremonia junto a los concejales Anthony Soto, Gladys Lebrón Martínez, Joseph McGiverin, el representante estatal Aaron Vega, y el miembro del comité escolar William Callamore. Este último resaltó la determinación de Rubén de integrar a jugadores Hispanos en la liga de baloncesto existente en la ciudad en la década de los setenta.

Urbina fue uno de los fundadores de la Latin American Softball League en el 1970 y del Spanish American Club en el 1971. A través de los años este participó como árbitros en las torneos de softball. Al presente es en un consumado jugador de dominó y frecuentemente compite en los torneros que se celebran en la ciudad.

Foto MFR. Rafael y Rubén Urbina

Foto MFR. Rubén Urbina y familia

Foto MFR. Ceremonia del lanzamiento de la primera bola. Rubén Urbina, Gloria Martínez y José Urbina.

Deportes / Sports Homenaje a Rubén H. Urbina por MANUEL FRAU-RAMOS

idea de lo significa ser doctor. Si no conocen a nadie en el campo de la medicina, sugeriría que trabajen de voluntarios en un hospital o asilo de ancianos, para exponerse más al trato con los pacientes. Además de acompañar a mi padre en su trabajo, también obtuve un título de asistente de enfermería certificada (CNA), lo cual me permitió estar más cerca de la medicina y llegar a ser médica. Si bien no tenía los mismos conocimientos médicos que tengo ahora, como CNA aprendí cómo atender a los pacientes. En el trayecto de convertirse en médico, es posible que haya alguna persona que trate de disuadirlos, diciéndoles que es imposible llegar a serlo. A mí me pasó. Pero tienen que recordar su objetivo y no perderlo de vista. Algún día todo el trabajo realizado valdrá la pena”.

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

Dra. Alliam Reagan Regresa continued from previous pageMr. Computer Tutor offers multiple services to meet a variety of computer needs. Work can be done in your home or dropped off for comprehensive repair; technicians provide assistance in a wide variety of categories. We have provided customers with extensive knowledge for more than a decade, and we can help you get your computer or network up and running immediately! Below are a few of the services we provide:•Softwaretraining•ComputerRepair&Service•WirelessNetworks•DataRecoveryDesktops & Laptops, All Brands and Operating SystemsSetup and configuration of computer equipment and hardwareVirus, spyware, and malware removalSupport and configuring wired and wireless networksTraining on computer, iPods, iPads, tablets, and other tech gadgets

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15EE EEE EEEEEE November 2014Deportes / Sports

La Liga de los Mayores Miguel Cruz Jr., finalizó la temporada del 2014 el pasado 11 de octubre con el mismo resultado de la pasada temporada, losSpringfield All-Stars volvieron a ganar el campeonato.

La novena de Edwin Villafañe, bajo la dirección de Luis Camacho, barrió la serie derrotando a los Legend en solo 4 juegos, de una seria programada a 7.

Springfield All-Stars debutaron en la Liga el año pasado y ganaron sensacionalmente la serie final contra los Agresivos al derrotarlos en cuatro juegos consecutivos. Después de haber ganado los primeros tres juegos, los Agresivos no pudieron ganar el juego decisivo del campeonato. Entre el año pasado y este el Springfield All-Stars ha ganado siete juegos consecutivos en la serie final.

Los lanzadores ganadores de los últimos dos juegos de la serie lo fueron Aníbal Nieves y Luis “Ito” Santos.

El equipo Springfield All Star está compuesto por Eddie Andújar, Carlos Lafontaine, Aníbal Nieves, Richard Rivera, Edwin Villafañe, Carlos González, Antonio “Tony” Marti, Luis “Ito” Díaz, Roberto Fontánez, Jimmy Correa, Roberto Concepción, Orlando “Orly” Faría, Víctor Cotto, David Osey Torres, Elido Núñez, José “Pepe” Montalbán y Danny Bellavista.

Springfield All-Stars buscará el año próximo empatar el record de la desaparecida novena de “Coquí” Romero que ganó tres campeonatos consecutivos en la temporadas 2007, 2008, y 2009. Con esta hazaña, estos ganaron el sobrenombre de “Los Verdugos del Softball de Holyoke.”

Este año participaron los equipos de los Leones, Agresivos, Gigantes, Bravos, Jibaritos, Boricuas, Springfield All-Stars y Legends. Los árbitros de la serie final fueron Junito y Juan Santos.

Para mas información sobre los preparativos para la próxima temporada comuníquese con el fundador de la liga Miguel Cruz al 413-433-0095.

Springfield All-Stars Repiten - ¡Campeones 2014! por MANUEL FRAU RAMOS

Foto Foto MFR. Springfield All Stars

Foto MFR. Legends

Season Sponsors

Event Sponsors:

JEREMY DENK, piano Jueves, 13 de Noviembre, 7:30 pm, Bowker AuditoriumJeremy Denk se ha establecido como uno de los artistas mas irresistible y polifacéticos de América. Recibió el MacArthur “genius” Award y fue nombrado el Instrumentalista de América del Año 2014. Para su presentación en el FAC, presenta un programa de Haydn, Janáček, Schubert, Mozart y Schumann.Conversación con Jeremy Denk, 5 p.m. en el Amherst Room, UMass Campus Center, Gratis

MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANYMartes, 18 de Noviembre, 7:30 pmFine Arts Center Concert HallDescrita por The Washington Post como “una de las siete maravillas del universo artístico,” el Martha Graham Dance Company es una

de las compañías de baile mas antiguas y celebradas en el planeta. El programa de esta noche incluye los clásicos de Graham y un nuevo trabajo del coreógrafo Adonis Foniadakis. Charla antes de la presentación a las 6:30 p.m. en el University Club.Season Sponsors: Event Sponsors:

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THE JACK DEJOHNETTE TRIOFeaturing Ravi Coltrane and Matt GarrisonViernes, 21 de Noviembre, 8 pm, Bowker AuditoriumEl NEA Maestro del Jazz y ganador del Grammy Jack DeJohnette une al saxofonista Ravi Coltrane y al bajista Matthew Garrison en un concierto de improvisación, en adición a sus propias composiciones.

MUMMENSCHANZ Domingo, 7 de Diciembre, 4 pmFine Arts Center Concert Hall Mummenschanz ha cautivado a las audiencias alrededor del mundo con su innovador teatro no-verbal de movimiento y transformación. En su universo surreal, pero cómico, los objetos comunes cobran vida para convertirse en personajes fantásticos. El resultado es un espectáculo visualmente impresionante que hace explotar la imaginación. Boletos para jóvenes de 17 años y menores a solamente $10Celebración para la Familia en el vestíbulo a las 3 p.m.

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el sol latino | november 2014 | 10.12

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