Saturday, February 25, 2006

Why Hispanic girls can't lose their accent in dating

Reflection on dating...

1. Take your younger sister or brother wherever you go
2. Invite him to church, have friends interview him
3. Need to introduce your parents on the "first date
4. Make sure you help with dating expenses
5. In school, try to remain in your posse, don't isolate with him
6. If you have ethnicity in the midst, share cultural events
7. Hobbies shared, nourishes the heart
8. References are essential in chosing a dating partner
9. Everyday date, might be a bit too much
10. Male friends encourage friendship with him
11. Gifts of thoughtfulness, may mean more than holiday celebrations
12 Music shared, are memories prepared
13. Free dates, are just as fun Going to park or river
14. Invite him out, with your friends
15. Choose a favorite restaurant, they know you as a couple

Reflections are given to me by my Greek and Asian friends too.

-- Samaris Ayala

New York City-based Samaris Ayala contributes her writings to Puerto Rico Sun. She may be reached at sallypatches@yahoo.com.

Friday, February 24, 2006

Community Calendar

Latino Lens

source: virtualboricua.org

In Celebration of Women's History Month
Friday March 3, 2006, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
This will be a major photo exhibit of two very talented Bronx Puerto Rican photographers and a major event for the Bronx campus and the rest of the Boricua College community. Robert Waddell, Curator. Boricua College Bronx Campus, 412-424 East 147th street, 2nd floor gallery, between Willis and Brook Avenues in the Bronx Hub. Directions: Take the #2 or #5 to 149th street and 3rd Avenue.

Enid Alvarez's mission is to capture the purest essence of her subject’s emotions. In her photo study of El Barrio, and Puerto Rico, Enid looks for something that is culturally hers. She said, "I wanted to explore the real Latino culture; the close-knit neighborhoods, the excitement of the children playing in the street, and the elderly people who possess the keys to the culture's history. With little of their own, have fun and make the best of life."

Marisol Díaz was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. She received a Bachelor's in Arts degree in photography in 2002 from City College of the City University of New York, and an Associate degree in Advertising Arts from Bronx Community College in 1993. She is a recipient of the 2004 Brio Award (Bronx Recognizes its Own) and the 2002 New York State Senate Award for her contribution to the Arts in her community. She said, "Documentaries have been my favorite kind of photography. It involves a great deal from the person being photographed and the photographer."

Robert Waddell is an academic facilitator at Boricua College and journalist. He is a Bronx native who has written for the New York Times, the New York Post, Latino.com, Siempre Newspaper and currently Tiempo N.Y. He has said, "Reaching out to the community as a writer and an educator has been a mission and an inspiration for me. Now, as curator, I find the same satisfaction in bringing the art of our community back to our community."

Thursday, February 23, 2006

evening shadows paint a san juan wall

In Memory
Saluting a Man Who Lent His Rhythms to Latin Life - New York Times

Cocos!!


Cocos!!
Originally uploaded by yasmapaz.
The Projects
By Samaris Ayala


Don't weep mommy
Scattered gardens give
birth to sweet
sensations
Among the monsters (projects)
We had a father
He was called Loisada
A pueblo, He gave
birth to other offspring
Don't weep mommy
There were some
Americans
called hippies
They helped us
Remember mommy
when
Poppy called me a hippie
Ever since I was a baby
He didn't like hippies
No more beatings
junkies
or fires
Poppy knew I was a hippie
But my father loisada
Loisada helped
When we traded our
farms for factories
Yet we kept the faith
And the church
integrated us
Our musicians sang
songs
To our ancestor gods
For this reason
mommy
We no longer have
ghettos
We have barrios
Don't weep mommy
We are a pueblo
Because they helped

NYC-based Samaris Ayala contributes her poetry to Puerto Rico Sun. She may be reached at sallypatches@yahoo.com.

Monday, February 20, 2006

Poetry

Julia de Burgos is My Saint
By Samaris Ayala


I am an artist.
Not by choice, but by calling.
My work is an attempt to
help me comprehend my life.
My collages help me write poetry.
It provides a way of expression, since
I am not a visual artist. I only
know art through expressing
my disability. Only with painstaking
supervision. Julia de Burgos is my
saint. Through her I believe that one
needs to work, in order to be an artist.
My rewards for my art, include teaching
and counseling.

I am an artist.
Not by choice, but by calling.
My work is an attempt to
create altars of my ancestors.
Poetry is an offspring of my collages.
Although not formally trained, I try to
create my world.
Julia de Burgos is my saint
Through her I understand
that it is a gift, not a privilege..

New York City-based Samaris Ayala contributes her poetry to Puerto Rico Sun. Samaris may be reached at sallypatches@yahoo.com.

mommy and poppy


mommy and poppy
Originally uploaded by sallypatches.
Miss you poppy
yours Sally

Friday, February 17, 2006

Boy Boy


Boy Boy
Originally uploaded by clarisel.
KR3TS dancer "Boy Boy" in action

Coming soon:

What? PRSUN TV features KR3TS
When? starting at 12:30 p.m. Feb. 23
Where? Channel 69, Bronxnet, Bronx, NY
Why? KR3TS is preparing a "whole new generation" of dancers and choreographers. Based in Spanish Harlem, students (largely Latino) hail from other parts of the city and beyond to take dance classes.

Violeta Galagarza is executive director of KR3TS. For more information on this nonprofit dance company, go to www.kr3ts.com and tune in to PRSUN TV.

Into It


Into It
Originally uploaded by clarisel.

In Action


In Action
Originally uploaded by clarisel.
Featured story:
Puerto Rico Could Soon Get Real Vote on Status - Los Angeles Times

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Featured site:

www.prsoldier.com

This website is a resource on the 65th US Infantry. This was an all Puerto Rican army unit which fought with distinction in the Korean War. You will also find information about a documentary that is currently under production.

pr flowers


pr flowers
Originally uploaded by trevorbrklyn.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Featured story:
A Terrorism Raid in Puerto Rico Makes Waves in New York City - February 13, 2006 - The New York Sun - NY Newspaper
Health
Environmental Protection Agency - EPA Press Release: Fight Against Asthma Gets $123,000 Boost from EPA
Calendar of event

The Puerto Rico Cultural Parade of Tampa
18th Puerto Rico Cultural Parade and Folklore Festival Day will be
held Sunday, April 30th 2006 in the National Historic District of
Ybor City (Tampa), Florida. The Puerto Rico Cultural Parade of
Florida, the first and largest Puerto Rican Parade in the state of
Florida.

Boricua.com is a proud sponsor for the Puerto Rico Cultural Parade
of Tampa.

Booths and Sponsorship Opportunities are available.

Photos from Last Year's Event
http://boricua.c.topica.com/maaeueUabogAzbeY9X3bafpLIa/


source: www.boricua.com

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Health

Health Disparities in Asthma Highlighted in February Issue of Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- African Americans are four times more likely to be hospitalized and five times more likely to die of asthma than non-African Americans. This is not an isolated statistic; while the ethnic minority population in the United States continues to grow and is expected to account for 50% of the country's population by 2050, the gap in health disparities between whites and minorities still exists.

The February 2006 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) presents research about the disparity between ethnicities in regard to asthma, what can be done to improve treatment for ethnic minorities, and how genetics play a role in asthma prevalence. The studies can be found on the JACI's Web site at http://www.jacionline.org/ . The JACI is the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

The disparity in asthma prevalence and treatment has been studied at length; statistics include:

-- Asthma prevalence is highest for Puerto Rican Americans (13.1%), followed by Native Americans (9.9%) and non-Hispanic blacks (9.5%). -- Asthma mortality for whites increased from the 1980-1984 time period to 2000-2001 time period from 2.1 to 2.6 deaths per 1,000,000 population; during the same time, the mortality rate for African Americans increased from 9.9 to 13.2 deaths per 1,000,000 population.

National efforts to improve asthma care over the past decade do not appear to have reduced the black/white gap for differences in hospitalizations and mortality. Reducing disparities in asthma care should be a national priority for research, health policy, and community action, according to a study entitled "The widening black/white gap in asthma hospitalizations and mortality" by Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Ill., and colleagues.

According to Gupta, when treating children with asthma, it is important to consider the racial/ethnic factors that might prevent hospitalizations and premature mortality. Gupta also noted:

-- The number of uninsured adults is increasing, and lack of insurance for adults could explain why asthma prevalence and mortality has increased. -- In a survey of Medicaid-insured children with asthma, black children had worse asthma status and less use of preventive medication than white children; fewer black adults also reported receiving asthma self-management education. -- Genetics might be related to how black subjects have different responsiveness to the controller and reliever medications.

Differences in genetics can differ between African Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Mexican Americans, and this might contribute to the differences in disease prevalence, according to a study entitled "Genetic epidemiology of health disparities in allergy and clinical immunology" by Kathleen C. Barnes, PhD, Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center, Baltimore.

In holding with this theory, Barnes noted several studies have demonstrated that although Puerto Rico has a high prevalence of asthma, the prevalence is similarly high among Puerto Ricans in the mainland United States compared with other groups, including other Hispanic Americans. A higher than expected asthma prevalence among Puerto Ricans living both in the mainland and on the island suggests a possible role of genetics.

One way to reduce asthma disparities is through the traditional disease prevention strategies, according to a study entitled "Applying epidemiologic concepts of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention to the elimination of racial disparities in asthma" by Christine L.M. Joseph, PhD, of the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, and colleagues.

Joseph noted that primary prevention looks to reduce the number of people with asthma by identifying and removing risk factors that are more common among minorities. After that, secondary prevention involves disease detection, management, and control; the third part of the equation involves identifying the difference race makes in treating and controlling the disease and also looks at the factors that lead to asthma deaths.

Although physicians may not have any control over patients' genetic makeup or environmental exposure, they can make a difference with patients by improving the social climate, improving access to care, and focusing on patient-physician interaction, according to an editorial entitled "The influence of health disparities on individual patient outcomes: What is the link between genes and environment?" written by Andrea J. Apter, MD, MSc, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

The AAAAI is the largest professional medical specialty organization in the United States representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease. Allergy/immunology specialists are pediatric or internal medicine physicians who have elected an additional two years of training to become specialized in the treatment of asthma, allergy and immunologic disease. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 6,000 members in the United States, Canada and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an advocate to the public by providing educational information through its Web site at http://www.aaaai.org/ .

First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

Web site: http://www.aaaai.org/http://www.jacionline.org/


Source: PR Newswire

Playa del Condado


Playa del Condado
Originally uploaded by Markus Masataka.

Monday, February 06, 2006

Altar of prayer

Amazing Grace, how sweet
the sound
The lack of sounds in
the community gives
indication of mourning
music soothes the silence
also hints of him
is in her every breath
she has buried his
belongings, hoping to
give him peace
so that he may
fly like the butterfly
that he called me
Samaris Ayala


Samaris Ayala contributes her poetry to Puerto Rico Sun. She may be reached at sallypatches@yahoo.com.

PR002


PR002
Originally uploaded by beckerpecker.

Sunday, February 05, 2006

Bulletin:

SAVE ACCESS TV CAMPAIGN ACTION ALERT!

TELL THE FCC: SAVE PUBLIC ACCESS TV! BY FEB. 13TH


**PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL 3 INTERNET COMPUTERS ON THE 2ND FLOOR AT MNN WILL BE DEVOTED SOLELY FOR THE FILING OF COMMENTS TO THE FCC, NEXT WEEK FEB. 6th – 13th FROM 5-10PM**

Tell the FCC to Save Public Access TV!
Deadline: Feb. 13th
February 13th is the deadline to make your voice heard by submitting comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - expressing your support for Public, Educational, Governmental (PEG) Community Access TV.
Tell your friends, family and community members to also submit comments to the FCC!

What is happening at the FCC?
The FCC has announced it is reconsidering its rulemaking on local franchising. This could have huge implications for PEG Community Access TV as it is local franchises that make PEG Community Access TV possible. A good FCC ruling reflecting the public’s support for local franchising could influence Congressional activity around any new legislation on this issue. We need Community Access TV producers and supporters to tell the FCC why we need franchising rules that support PEG Community Access TV.

Where to go to file?
We've set up a web page where you can quickly and easily file your comments with the FCC. The page contains simple “how-to” instructions. Click here to file your public comments:
http://mnn.org/saveaccess/nprmhowto.html

If you don’t have regular access to a computer or need help filing:
From Monday, Feb. 6th to Monday Feb. 13th from 5-10pm, all 3 internet computers on the 2nd floor of MNN (537 W. 59th Street in Manhattan, NYC) will be designated solely for people to file comments with the FCC.

Also the S.O.S. (Save Our Shows) Committee, a group of volunteer producers committed to defending Public Access, is organizing tabling at MNN all next week. If you are interested in helping out with tabling or with outreach to producers about the FCC filing, please email Manuel Rivera, a volunteer producer of S.O.S. His email address is: rivera188@yahoo.com

Remember the deadline to file is Feb. 13th!

What are the bills now in Washington about?
The telephone companies want to compete with the Cable TV companies in providing video-services to consumers, but they don’t want to play by the same rules as the Cable TV Companies. They are seeking to avoid having to negotiate the local franchises that Cable TV companies now have. Local franchises ensure that channel space and resources are available for Community Access TV; that cable and telecommunications companies offering video services in the community are accountable to the local public interest; that companies offer affordable services and don’t “redline” low-income communities; and that they are responsive to customer complaints.

In Washington the telephone companies are now pushing for legislation that could dismantle these local franchises. This would lead to all kinds of repercussions for the public - including ending Community Access TV, and silencing the many voices in communities from coast-to-coast that exercise their freedom of expression on Community Access every day. You can play a crucial role in promoting media democracy and media justice by filing your comments in support of Community Access TV and calling for the protection and advancement of this valuable local resource in our communities that gives us a voice. Tell the FCC to support the local franchises that make PEG Access TV possible. This lets Washington how you stand on this issue.

For more info on these bills:
http://www.mnn.org/saveaccess

***************
DON’T FORGET TO TUNE INTO “ACCESS UPDATE” - A PUBLIC ACCESS BI-WEEKLY TV PROGRAM
Available on MNN, Free Speech TV, and other local Access TV Stations

About the Program:
In response to the escalating threats to Community Access TV, we are producing a bi-weekly “Access Update” TV program that keeps the public informed about what’s happening with PEG Access TV & the Congressional legislation that threatens it.

Watch on MNN:
Every other Tuesday on Channel 34 (TWC) or Channel 110 (RCN) from 6:30-7:00pm or
Watch it streamed live on our website at www.mnn.org (click onto Channel 34):
Upcoming airtimes:
Tuesday, February 7th
Tuesday, February 21st
Tuesday, March 7th

Also watch on Free Speech TV (available on Dish Network) -- the nation's first progressive TV channel reaching over 25 million homes:
Click onto this link to find upcoming airdates on FSTV:
http://www.freespeech.org/fscm2/genx.php?search_text=access+update&name=fstv_schedule&tz=

******************

About MNN & the Save ACCESS TV Campaign:

Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) is the Public Access organization for borough of Manhattan in NYC. MNN launched the SAVE ACCESS TV Campaign and is committed to organizing opposition to any local or national legislation that would harm or end Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) Access TV. The SAVE ACCESS TV Campaign is composed of independent producers, community organizations, faith-based groups and supporters of Community Access TV. We are committed to protecting the PEG Access TV resources that provide communities with vital resources to create local programming that serves the public interest, upholds media democracy and freedom of speech.
For more info about the Save ACCESS TV Campaign:
Website: http:www.mnn.org/saveaccess/
Phone: 212-757-2670 x 308
Email: saveaccess@mnn.org

Defiant musician


Defiant musician
Originally uploaded by DeLares.
DeLares says:
Clave en mano.....el festival de mascaras, Hatillo, PR

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Poetry

Community Event

Boricua College Winter Poetry Series, Friday, February 17 @ 7:30 pm

Boricua College invites you to the second reading of its XVIII Winter Poetry Series, entitled "New Blood" featuring writers Angel Pont Navarro, Marina Ortiz, Carmen Bardeguez-Brown, Bonafide Rojas and Maegean “la Mala” Ortiz.

The event will take place on Friday, February 17, 2006 at 7:30 PM in the Blue Room (third floor) of Boricua College at 186 North 6th Street in Brooklyn, NY 11211 (L train to Bedford Avenue, walk a block and a half). It will be in English and in Spanish.

It is free and includes an open reading, a reading by the guest writers and a dialogue with the writers. For more information, please call the director of the Poetry Series, Dr. Myrna Nieves, at (718) 782-2200 ext. 249. The writers in the February reading are:

Marina Ortiz is a poet and social/cultural activist. She has performed at the Bronx County Courthouse, Casa Atabex Aché, East Harlem/El Barrio Renaissance Center, The Knitting Factory, and The Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Ortiz co-founded poetry collectives “The Bread is Rising,” “Como Coco,” and “Sisters Underground.” Her poetry and news reviews have been published in Liberator, El Pitirre, The New York Planet. Her poetry has been aired over WBAI Radio and WHCR Radio. She was also associate producer and co-host of Pacífica-WBAI Radio's “Latino Jounal” and “Friday Talkback!” She is the founder and editor of www.virtualboricua.org and www.eastharlempreservation.org.

Carmen Bardeguez-Brown is a poet and educator. Her work was showcased in the award winning documentary Latino Poets in the United States. She has read her work at The Nuyorican Poets Café, Mad Alex Foundation and The Soho Arts Festival. Her work has been performed by Felipe Luciano Poet's Choir and the Butch Morris Conduction Series. Her work has been published in magazines such as, Tribes, Long Shot, and in the anthology: Aloud: Voices from the Nuyorican Cafe.

Maegan Ortiz is a spoken word performer and journalist. Ortiz has performed at D’Antigua in Queens and the Latino Cultural Festival at Queens Theatre in the Park. Her writing has been published by The New York Daily News, Defunkt Magazine, and LOUDMouth. Ortiz, a single mother, maintains a blog: http://www.mamitamala.blogspot.com and is co-editor of a soon to be launched (October 12) blog for Latinos in the U.S., Vivir Latino (www.vivirlatino.com).

Angel Pont Navarro is a poet and educator. He studied literature at the UPR (Mayagüez). He is a co-editor of the literary magazine Zurde , a member of Los Poetas del 223 and a co-organizer of the open jams at La Tertulia in San Juan. He has read at the Nuyorican Café (San Juan) and D'Antigua (NY). His work has been featured in Puerto Rico on the tv programs, “Cultura Viva,” “En la punta de la lengua”. He now works at Boricua College, and can be found in Brooklyn with a guitar, mixing poetry with “trova.”

Bonafide Rojas is a poet, musician, teacher, the author of the poetry book Pelo Bueno: A Day in the Life of a Nuyorican Poet (2004). He was The 2002 SLAM THIS! Champion, a member of the 2002 NYC/Union Square Slam team and the 2003 Wicker Park/Chicago Slam Team. In NY he has worked with Teachers and Writers, ASPIRA, the Louder Arts Collective. He has also worked with Youth Speaks (CA), The Guild Complex (IL), Young Chicago Authors (IL). His poems have been anthologized in, Bum Rush the Page: a Def Poetry Jam, RoleCall: A Generational Anthology of Social and Political Black Literature and Art and the CD’s Nuyorican Dreams, Yemayá y Ochún, New Skool Poetics.

XVIII Boricua College
Winter Poetry Series 2005-2006
Calendar of Events

February 17, New Blood*
Bonafide Rojas
Carmen Bardeguez
Angel Pont Navarro
Marina Ortiz
Magean Ortiz

March 10, Voices**
Alberto Martínez Márquez
José Acosta
Rita Indiana Hernández

April 28, literatura visionaria puertorriqueña**
Edgardo Rodríguez Juliá

*reading in English and Spanish
**reading in Spanish

This event is generously funded by Boricua College. This event is made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. For more information, contact: Dr. Myrna Nieves at (718) 782-2200 ext. 249.
Featured story:
As its war sacrifices rise, Puerto Rico debates US tie - The Boston Globe

Old San Juan Cemetery


Old San Juan Cemetery
Originally uploaded by DeLares.