Sunday, December 31, 2006

Happy New Year. Puerto Rico Sun wishes you peace, love, good health, prosperity, happiness and ... in the new year.

Felicidades.

Thursday, December 28, 2006

PUERTO RICO'S CAPITAL

Vital Old San Juan

Leslie Jones

Contributing Writer

The aromas of tostones (fried plantains) and asopao (a traditional chicken-and-rice soup) drift out of local eateries.

Visitors pause in front of colourful storefront displays, and a sea of pedestrians and cars moves past. Narrow cobblestone streets beckon in each direction I turn, while the sounds of salsa resonate from a nearby plaza, enticing me to move a little closer.

My longtime friend Lori and I are on the first port of call of a week-long Caribbean cruise. It's a crystal-clear Sunday afternoon in the old town district of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The city of San Juan is made up of three distinct areas: Old San Juan, the beach and resort area and outlying communities. Old San Juan, founded in 1508, is the second-oldest city in the Americas.

An infectious energy fills the air as the sounds of the park rotunda's steel drums intensify. Children play nearby as adults gather to visit. Passing tourists stop to listen, snap a few photos and dance awhile.

Music is almost as vital to Puerto Ricans as the air they breathe.

For more, go to http://www.nsnews.com/issues06/w122406/125106/travel.html.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Three Kings rule in Puerto Rico

MARY ELLEN BOTTER
The Dallas Morning News

JUANA DIAZ, Puerto Rico -- It's Bethlehem in the New World. The Three Kings seem to be everywhere in Puerto Rico. In art stores. Souvenir shops. On the wall of a bakery. Among gamers in San Juan's Pool Palace. Beside expensive watches in a jeweler's display.

They even have their own museum in this small city five miles northeast of Ponce in southern Puerto Rico.

That isn't to say Christmas itself is trumped by the island's love of the Wise Men reputed to have visited the baby Jesus in the manger. Puerto Ricans are wild about that holiday, celebrating it with joyous abandon, decorating homes, plazas and buildings as early as the beginning of November, and reveling in family gatherings and Christmas Eve church services. Festivities stretch through the second week of January.

For more, go to www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061224/Lives01/612240481

Thursday, December 21, 2006

In Latino tradition, Three Kings is an important part of Christmas. Mark your calendar.

EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY THREE KINGS DAY PARADE

¡FELIZ DIA DE REYES!

Friday, January 5, 2007

Starting at 11:00 a.m.

Press Invited at 10:30 a.m. to Parade Line-Up with Three Kings, 30 Madrinas and Padrinos

106th Street between Madison and Park Avenues

NEW YORK, December 2006 – On Friday, January 5, 2007, El Museo del Barrio once again brings the spirit of the holidays to el barrio and to all of New York City with the 30th Anniversary of El Museo’s Annual Three Kings Day Parade and Community Celebration. The parade kicks off at 11:00 a.m. at 106th Street and Madison Avenue, continuing through East Harlem up Third Avenue to 116th Street, then heads west and culminates at La Marqueta Plaza, located along Park Avenue between 116th and 115th Streets. Following the parade, the Three Kings will offer a gift to each of the children marching in the event.

As the most festive event of the holiday season in Latin America and the Caribbean, Three Kings Day is a time to rejoice with family, friends, and community. This year’s parade will continue to celebrate the strength, vitality and diversity of New York City and convey the hope and joy associated with this Latino holiday. Thousands of New Yorkers will cheer on school children from across the city as they march alongside live camels, donkeys and sheep, floats, festive musicians and large colorful puppets representing the Three Kings. Pre-registered school groups begin the morning with a theatrical holiday program in El Museo’s Teatro Heckscher before joining in the parade.

El Museo is proud to announce this year’s Three Kings: Jesús “Papoleto” Meléndez, a recipient of a 2001 Fellowship in Poetry from the New York Foundation for the Arts and one of the pioneers of the Nuyorican poets’ movement; and Freddy Rodríguez, the visual artist who designed the recently inaugurated Flight 587 Memorial in Belle Harbor and whose work is included in both of El Museo’s current exhibitions, ¡Merengue! Visual Rhythms / Ritmos visuales and This Skin I’m In: Contemporary Dominican Art from El Museo del Barrio’s Permanent Collection. The third King will be announced the week of the parade. Representing the 30 years of this time-honored tradition, 30 long-time friends of El Museo del Barrio are serving as padrinos and madrinas in this anniversary parade celebration. This esteemed group includes activists, artists and community leaders.

Please join our esteemed Reyes magos along with local residents, New York City school children, their teachers, and the general public in this special celebration. All are invited to march, and registration will take place at 9:30 a.m. on the day of the parade in the courtyard of El Museo del Barrio. There is no charge for participation and costumes are optional. Anyone interested in bringing their musical talents to the parade by playing their own güiro, clave or maracas should please contact El Museo, and advance registration for groups is recommended by calling 212.660.7144 or sending an email to threekings@elmuseo.org.

Three Kings Day Celebration Continues on Saturday, January 6, 2007

All are welcome to continue El Museo’s 30th Anniversary Three Kings Day celebration on Saturday, January 6 from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. at a holiday presentation for families at El Museo’s Teatro Heckscher. Lilia Veiga will lead a special edition of the game show Juguemos Todos, offering gifts and prizes to winners. Scholastic characters Maya & Miguel will make a guest appearance, and then at 3:00 p.m. El Museo presents Cuatrisimo, a program exploring the evolution of one of Puerto Rico’s national stringed instruments, the cuatro, by Jose Obando, Salsa Consultant of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Obando will explain the history of the cuatro from its 8th-century Moorish-influenced form, to its emergence as a distinctly New World instrument. His program, accompanied by a live performance, will trace the instrument’s cultural history and demonstrate its many variations.

Musical genres such as the Seis, Aguinaldo, Danza, Bomba, Plena and Salsa will be featured during the Saturday program. Musicians from New York and Puerto Rico, including Yomo Toro, who was part of the former Fania All-Stars, Luisito Rodriguez, Felix “Junior” Vega, Willie Martinez, Cristian Rivera, Ana Flores, Alfredo Torres and Johnson Morales will demonstrate the cuatro’s musical heritage in a lively concert.

The program is presented in tandem with an exhibition of Puerto Rican stringed instruments at the musical instruments gallery of The Metropolitan Museum of Art: a modern bordonua and a 19th-century Jibaro guitar. A Puerto Rican gourd or güiro is also included in the exhibition. The Jibaro guitar, decorated with West African motifs, reminiscent of textile patterns, was donated in 1915 to The Metropolitan Museum of Art and is one of only two such instruments that survive. Seating for this theater program at El Museo will be first-come, first-serve, and admission is FREE.

Parade Sponsors and Organizers

El Museo del Barrio’s 30th Annual Three Kings Day Parade is made possible with the generous support of Con Edison, Mount Sinai Hospital, NY State Senator José Serrano and NY State Assembly Members Adam Clayton Powell IV and Peter Rivera. The program is supported, in part, by public funds from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the NY State Council on the Arts, a state agency. El Museo would like also to thank the staff at Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center, NBC Today Show Holiday Toy Drive and Scholastic, Inc. Media sponsors for our Parade and Celebration are TIEMPO New York, Univision 41/Telefutura 68, WADO 1280 am.

This year’s parade is organized by Lili Santiago Silva, Theater Manager, and by the entire staff of El Museo del Barrio. In addition, many volunteers contribute vital help and support throughout the planning of this time-honored community event.

About El Museo del Barrio

El Museo del Barrio is New York’s leading Latino cultural institution, representing the diversity of art and culture in the Caribbean and Latin America. As the only museum in New York City that specializes in representing these cultures, El Museo del Barrio continues to have a significant impact on the cultural life of New York City and is a major stop on Manhattan’s Museum Mile on Fifth Avenue. El Museo del Barrio was founded in 1969 by a group of Puerto Rican educators, artists, parents and community activists in East Harlem’s Spanish-speaking El Barrio, the neighborhood that extends from 96th Street to the Harlem River and from Fifth Avenue to the East River on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

El Museo del Barrio's varied permanent collection of 6,500 objects from the Caribbean and Latin America includes pre-Columbian Taíno artifacts, traditional arts, twentieth-century prints, drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations, as well as photography, documentary films and video. Through the sustained excellence of its collections, exhibitions, publications and bilingual public programming, El Museo del Barrio reaches out to diverse audiences and serves as a bridge and catalyst between Latinos and Latin Americans, their extraordinary cultural heritage, and the rich artistic offerings of New York City.

El Museo del Barrio is located at 1230 Fifth Avenue between 104th and 105th Streets and may be reached by subway: #6 to 103rd Street station; #2, #3 to Central Park North station or by bus: M1, M3, M4 on Madison and Fifth Avenues to 104th Street; local crosstown service between Yorkville or East Harlem and the Upper West Side in Manhattan M96 and M106 or M2. Museum hours: Wednesday - Sunday, 11AM to 5PM. Closed on Monday and Tuesday. Suggested museum admission: $6 adults; $4 students and seniors; members and children under 12 accompanied by an adult enter free. To learn more about El Museo del Barrio, please visit our website at www.elmuseo.org or call 212-831-7272.

###

Friday, December 15, 2006

Sun-Sentinel, Fri, 15 Dec 2006 0:23 AM PST
Execution review ordered
Florida's beleaguered death penalty may have been thrown into limbo Thursday, a day after what critics called the botched execution of a convicted killer from Puerto Rico who took 34 minutes and two doses of lethal drugs to die.

To read more,www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-fexecute15dec15,0,7986524.story?coll=sfla-news-florida

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Merry Christmas to all the supporters of the Puerto Rico Sun project.

Check out the beautiful array of photos in the Puerto Rico Sun group at flickr.

Felicidades hoy y siempre.

Clarisel

P.S. Have any ideas for the "PRSUN TV" show (that airs in the Bronx)? Feel free to e-mail me at clarisel@puertoricosun.com.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Health

Ethnic Divide for Diabetes: City's Puerto Ricans Far More Likely to Die
of Illness, Study Says

For more info., visit www.redorbit.com/news/health/758733/ethnic_divide_for_diabetes_citys_puerto_ricans_far_more_likely/index.html?source=r_health

By Judith Graham, Chicago Tribune Dec. 7--Puerto Ricans in Chicago are
three times more likely to die of diabetes than white residents and
almost twice as likely as black residents, according to a study that is
spurring calls for action among community leaders.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Our Little Tree
By Samaris Ayala

My sisters christmas tree
No matter how small or tall
the tree, she always gave us
a tree with much love
To have a small tree
was not an embarrassment
it was really decorated
and loved with much sentiment
My sisters christmas tree
a story possessed each ornament
Even when we were having
a difficult struggle
We never felt we were in trouble
because we had an "arbol."

c 2006 Samaris Ayala

Samaris can be reached at sallypatches@yahoo.com.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Comite Noviembre has several activities for Puerto Rican Heritage Month. Check out www.tiempony.com (current edition page 15) or www.comitenoviembre.org for details.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Note:

There have been problems posting featured photos from flickr directly to this blog.

Feel free to check the Puerto Rico Sun photo group at flickr directly. You will enjoy a wonderful mix of photos by a diverse pool of photographers.

Friday, October 20, 2006

BomPlenazo on PRSUN TV

Highlights of the BomPlenazo extravaganza at Hostos Community College will be featured in the next PRSUN TV to start airing at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Channel 69, Bronxnet. Show repeats at 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays and 12:30 p.m. Thursdays.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

REMINDER: TONIGHT'S THE FUNDRAISER FOR THE Bx3M.

Come Support
YERBABUENA PERFORMING
WINE WILL BE SERVED
Crew and cast members of this exciting new movie by filmmaker Judith Escalona expected to attend.

6-8:30 p.m.
Suggested Donation: $5 minimum
PRdream/MediaNoche, 161 E. 106 St., El Barrio

Saturday, October 14, 2006

PRSUN TV Nominated for a BETA Award

PRSUN TV, a cultural arts show that airs on Bronxnet's Channel 69, has been nominated for a Beta award in one or more categories. The Beta awards recognizes the work of independent producers on public access television in the Bronx.

Winners, selected by a panel of judges, will be announced at Bronxnet's Beta award ceremony in November. This is Bronxnet's version of the Emmy awards.

Thanks.

PRSUN TV

Monday, October 09, 2006

Bx3M 161 East 106th Street, First Floor, New York, NY 10029, 212.828.0401


A LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Hello, I'm Jaime Sanchez the executive producer of an exciting new film project entitled Bx3M. It's written and directed by Judith Escalona, a fresh talent with a bright future in filmmaking -- if she can acquire the funding to get her projects done. I ought to know. I'm a veteran film and stage actor who played a leading role in Sidney Lumet's The Pawnbroker, and Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch. I also worked directly with Judy as the lead in her short film The Krutch. That film is currently in the film festival circuit.

Bx3M is her new feature-length film project, the story of three Latino youths growing up in a city going up in flames. Think of the Bronx circa 1978, now fast forward to the present. The Bronx looked like a war zone then, thankfully that's changed. What hasn't, and probably never will, is the struggle involved in growing up. Maria, Mona and Michael are adolescents who have to make choices that will change the course of their lives. Like most teens, and I was one of them, they aren't even aware of this profound fact. Two of them will make it, one of them won't. But I don't want to reveal the ending. You'll have to see the film for that and it hasn't been made yet.

That's why I'm writing you today, to ask for your support in getting Bx3M produced. The production team of Clarisel Gonzalez and Izzy Ruiz have been working closely with Judy to put together a fine cast of young actors. The crew too is almost ready to go. All of them are volunteering their time to get this wonderful film made. There are expenses, however, that can't be bartered or deferred. Your contribution will help us meet these costs.

Any contribution you make, whether it's $5 or $5,000, will help and is deeply appreciated. PR Project Inc., a not-for-profit cultural organization, is acting as the fiscal sponsor for Bx3M so that your donations are completely tax-deductible. Actually, I like to think of these donations as an investment in filmmaking that is smart, thought-provoking, and compassionate -- as this project certainly is.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Should you wish to make a contribution, and I urge you to do so now, please send a check or money order to:

Bx3M
c/o PR Project Inc.
161 East 106th Street, First Floor
New York, NY 10029

The check or money order should be made payable to: “PR Project Inc. (Bx3M)” . Thank you again.

Jaime Sanchez
New York City
October 5, 2006
NEW FILM ABOUT COMING OF AGE IN THE BRONX
SCHEDULED TO BEGIN SHOOTING
FUNDRAISING RECEPTION

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 6PM – 8:30PM AT PRDREAM

New York City, October 9, 2006 – Bx3M begins shooting at the end of October. Written and directed by Judith Escalona, the film is the story of three Latino youths coming of age in a city going up in flames. Think the Bronx circa 1978 or Manhattan 2002. The comparison may not be immediately apparent but urban blight and human suffering are as common today as they were then. So are the youth growing up during those confusing, turbulent years who must make choices that will change the rest of their lives.

The “3M” stands for Maria’s Birthday, Mona’s Move and Michael’s Revenge – the three interlacing stories that together make up Bx3M. Escalona is actually returning home to the “Boogie Down” to make this feature-length movie after spending most of her adult years in Manhattan and abroad. It is her way of coming to terms with what she left behind, according to the director, the “friends who never made it out when the Bronx was burning. And I don’t simply mean the tenements that were torched.”

Real life experiences inform the lives of Maria, Mona and Michael, the fictional characters Escalona has created. She previously wrote and directed The Krutch, a surreal narrative about a Puerto Rican psychoanalyst with an identity problem. The short film stars veteran film actor Jaime Sanchez and is currently on the film festival circuit. Sanchez is Executive Producer of Bx3M. Clarisel Gonzalez and Izzy Ruiz-Calaf are the film’s producers. They grew up and currently live in the Bronx.

Filming is expected to be completed by early next year and post production by early Spring.

Bx3M is sponsored by PR Project Inc., a 501 ( c ) (3) not-for-profit, new media enterprise located in Spanish Harlem. Its mission is to empower community through technology, documenting the Puerto Rican/Latino experience in the U.S. Donations to Bronx3M are welcomed and fully tax-deductible. Visit their web site at www.prdream.com and click on the donations button. By mail, make checks or money orders payable to PR Project Inc. (Bx3M). The mailing address is: Bx3M c/o PR Project Inc., 161 East 106th Street, First Floor, New York, NY 10029.

On Thursday, October 19, between 6PM and 8:30PM, a fundraiser for Bx3M will take place at PRdream, 161 East 106th Street, First Floor, between Lexington and Third Avenues. For more information, call 212.828.0401.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Community calendar

ELLIOT, A SOLDIER’S FUGUE
▪ October 6 - 29, various matinee and evening performances at 3:00 pm, 8:00 pm.
Page 73 Productions (P73)and El Museo del Barrio proudly reprise the critically acclaimed play "Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue" written by Quiara Alegría Hudes and directed by Davis McCallum on the stage of Teatro Heckscher of El Museo. Page 73 Productions first presented the play’s premiere in early 2006 at the Culture Project, where it received critical praise and played to sold-out houses.

Mateo Gomez is Elliot in "A Soldier's Fugue."

"Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue" tells the story of three generations of Puerto Rican men in one family and their experiences in the US military. At 18, Lance Corporal Elliot Ortiz crossed over to Iraq . At 19, he received the Purple Heart. Now, back from active duty, Elliot is a hometown hero. As Elliot comes to terms with his own memories of war, the military experiences of his father and grandfather unfold, revealing startling similarities that unite the Ortiz men across time. As Elliot’s tale moves back in time, the stories of his father, mother and grandfather move forward until past and present collide, wringing love and beauty from devastation.
Admission: $35 per ticket, $25 for El Museo members. Call 212 279 4200 for tickets
or visit www.p73.org.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Featured story

Puerto Rico mulls abortion for pregnant 10-year-old allegedly raped by stepfather
International Herald Tribune - Sunday October 1, 2006
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Doctors and child rights groups are pushing Puerto Rican authorities to decide whether to perform an abortion on a pregnant 10-year-old allegedly raped by her stepfather.

Read more:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/01/news/CB_GEN_Puerto_Rico_Pregnant_Child.php

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

CENTRO POLICY STUDY FINDS THAT U.S. PUERTO RICAN POPULATION GREW NEARLY THREE TIMES AS FAST AS OVERALL POPULATION

Center for Puerto Rican Studies Researcher Also Finds That Many Puerto Ricans Live in Counties With Very High Segregation

A new public policy study by the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CENTRO) examines patterns of residential settlement and segregation of Puerto Ricans in the United States and finds fast growth in the Puerto Rican population in almost all 50 states.
“ Florida has become the new epicenter for Puerto Ricans,” said Carlos Vargas-Ramos, the report’s author and a Centro researcher. “ New York State , on the other hand, is the only state in the union that has lost Puerto Rican population.”
Some of the major policy findings of Puerto Rican settlement include:
The Puerto Rican population in the United States grew at a rate of 69 percent between 1980 and 2000, from two million to 3.4 million. This growth was almost three times as fast as that of the overall population of the United States , which grew at 24 percent during those two decades. This Puerto Rican population growth was fastest during the 1980s (35 percent) than during the 1990s (25 percent).
The Puerto Rican population grew in almost every state. Growth took place in every state between 1980 and 2000, during the 1980s and during the 1990s. The only state where the Puerto Rican population did not grow, but actually lost population, was New York State during the 1990s. During this decade New York ’s Puerto Rican population declined by three percent.

Puerto Rican population growth was fastest in states that have not been locations of traditional settlement. Fast Puerto Rican growth took place in states such as Nevada, Rhode Island, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Tennessee, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Virginia. Puerto Ricans grew in these mostly Sunbelt states at rates that fluctuated between 300 percent and 400 percent between 1980 and 2000. The ten fastest growing counties in the survey were located in Florida (eight) and Pennsylvania (two). Puerto Rican growth was slowest in states of traditional settlement, such as New York , New Jersey , Illinois or Hawaii. The slowest growth counties were also located largely in these states.

Despite slowed (or negative) growth, Puerto Ricans continue to be concentrated in Northeastern states such as New York , New Jersey , Pennsylvania , Massachusetts and Connecticut. Florida is the exception and has positioned itself as the new epicenter of Puerto Rican settlement in the United States. Fifteen percent of the Puerto Rican population in the United States in 2000 was settled in Florida, making the second most Puerto Rican state, after New York (with 30 percent).


Some of the major policy findings of Puerto Rican segregation include:

Forty-five percent of Puerto Ricans lived in counties with very high segregation in relation to non-Hispanic whites (as measured by the index of dissimilarity) in 2000. Twelve percent of Puerto Ricans lived in counties of moderate segregation, while only one percent lived in counties with low segregation. High segregation tended to take place in counties of old settlement, largely in the Northeast and the Midwest . Low segregation counties tended to be those counties of new settlement in the Southeast.


Between 1990 and 2000, segregation from non-Hispanic whites tended to diminish in counties of old settlement with very high as well as moderate dissimilarity scores — a positive development. However, between decades, segregation tended to increase in counties of new settlement where segregation from non-Hispanic whites was low or moderate. Segregation is following Puerto Ricans where they are settling anew - a very worrisome trend.


In relation to African Americans, Puerto Rican segregation was very high in 11 counties in 2000, with dissimilarities scores at times exceeding those for non-Hispanic whites. However, these very high segregation counties only represented counties of settlement for 18 percent of the Puerto Rican population. Dissimilarity was moderate in 23 counties, where 21 percent of Puerto Ricans lived, and it was low in 13 counties, where four percent of Puerto Ricans lived. Between decades, dissimilarity between African Americans and Puerto Ricans increased in nine counties, while it diminished in 54 counties.


Expectedly, Puerto Ricans were not very segregated from other Latinos in the United States in 2000. At most, Puerto Ricans had moderately high dissimilarity scores in one county, while scores were moderate in another seven. These counties with moderate segregation tended to be old settlement counties for Puerto Ricans. Puerto Ricans lived in relative low separation from other Latinos in two-thirds of the counties surveyed. Dissimilarity increased in 19 counties between 1990 and 2000.


“There are counties where Puerto Ricans are seeing increases in residential
segregation,” said Vargas-Ramos. “That’s a somewhat alarming trend. Segregation can be positive at times by allowing the creation of continuous districts and possibly achieving some political power. It also provides ethnic enclaves and to some extent cultural production.”



However, the Centro researcher said he believes the negatives outweigh the positives. “Given history, highly segregated miajority-minority neighborhoods they tend to receive worse resources from government or private resources; that's why there is reason for concern,” he said.


In placing the report in context, Dr. Anthony De Jesús, Interim Director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, states that “while other analyses of Puerto Ricans demographic trends have focused on the decreasing numbers of Puerto Ricans in New York City and migration to the sunbelt, Dr. Vargas-Ramos' analysis provides very specific state and county level data, which can be extremely useful to policy makers, planners and advocates at these levels. In addition, comparisons with other racial and ethnic groups reflect an uncommon level of detail in the research on Puerto Ricans and reveals important differences in segregations between White, Blacks and other Latinos.
In a broader perspective, Dr. De Jesús, adds, “this Centro report demonstrates that Puerto Rican population growth parallels that of Latinos overall, strongly suggesting that Puerto Ricans contribute significantly to the overall Latino growth.”



###

Note: PRSUN TV will feature this issue on an upcoming show.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Community event

Centro Gallery at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College presents You Are A Star, A Group Show
Manuel Acevedo,Luis Carle, Javier Cintron, David A. Cruz, Ricardo Hernandez, Yasmin Hernandez, Miguel Luciano, Wanda Ortiz, Rafael Rosario, Tufinyito Rafael Velez Curated by José Vidal
Until October 13
Reception on September 21, 6-8 p.m.
The Gallery is open Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Centro is located on the third floor of the East Building at Hunter College at the corner of 68th Street and Lexington Avenue

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

IMG_6269


IMG_6269
Originally uploaded by clarisel.
Bobby Gonzalez (author of the "Last Puerto Rican Indian), me and Luis Cordero (publisher/artist of galeriacemi.com) at the Bronxnet studio

IMG_6268


IMG_6268
Originally uploaded by clarisel.
Me and Bobby Gonzalez, the author of "The Last Puerto Rican Indian" at the Bronxnet studio

Bobby was a guest on a show I work on with a group of independent producers. Our show is called "Chatting with Family & Friends," and it airs on Bronxnet.

Showdate of Bobby's interview TBA

Thursday, September 14, 2006

The deadline has been EXTENDED for MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th 2006!!!

CALL FOR PUERTO RICAN ARTISTS
2006 POSTER DESIGN FOR
PUERTO RICAN HERITAGE MONTH

The annual theme is developed with the understanding that beyond celebrating our heritage, it must help to motivate, mobilize and empower our community around critical concerns. This year’s theme:

Comité Noviembre…mes de la herencia puertorriqueña
XX Aniversario - Celebrando con orgullo nuestra cultura…
Hoy, Mañana y Siempre!

seeks to acknowledge and pay tribute to achievements of the Puerto Rican community in this nation. The theme celebrates the outstanding accomplishments of Puerto Ricans in all aspects of life and society from science, medicine and technology to music, dance and theatre. The theme addresses the importance of our achievements as a community and the impact it has had and will continue to have on society. The theme seeks to challenge each and every one of us to learn about our pioneers in these fields, feel proud of who we are and where we come from and commit ourselves to promote and teach others about our great contributions to this country.

Design full color poster 24” x 36” which will be distributed to schools and organizations for Puerto Rican Heritage Month in November.
Artist must be Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent.
$1,000 stipend for work selected by Comité Noviembre
Artist must be able to work with members of Comité Noviembre towards the creation of the final piece.
The artwork and biography of artist will be printed in the annual Calendar of Events, and other venues such as VIVA New York of the Daily News, if available.
Please send the following by: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2006
An interview will necessary on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2006

A finished piece portraying your concept of the theme for the poster.
Bio/Resume
Address, phone, and Email
Examples of previous work
SEND TO:

Lili Santiago-Silva, Comité Noviembre
El Museo Del Barrio
1230 5th Avenue (At 104th Street )
New York , NY 10029
212.660.7132 212.876.1242
lssilva@elmuseo.org or iprhe@aol.com

Julia Gutierrez-Rivera, Comité Noviembre
Association of Hispanic Arts
P.O. Box 1169
New York , NY 10029
julia@latinoarts.org or
Please do not send framed work.
Work will not be mailed back, but you can arrange for pick up.
Emailing of work is preferred.

source: Comité Noviembre

Friday, September 01, 2006

Carta de un amigo

Ferreira Photo News Letter

Saludos Amigos

Nuevamente queremos invitarlos a disfrutar la nueva colección de fotos tomadas en los últimos meces, http://www.ferreiraphoto.com/gallerias.htm

Los temas en esta ocasión son los siguientes:

Estructuras, Animales (peleas de gallos), Mi gente, Paisajes, Siluetas, Urbano, Naturaleza, Modelos, Atardeceres y otros.

Esperamos las disfruten y no dejen de firmar el libro de visitas “Guest Book”.

Gracias por su visita y patrocinio.

Gino Ferreira
Ferreira Photo.COM
gino@ferreiraphoto.com

(Nota: Tambien pueden visitar a GinoPR en su pagina de fotos en flickr. Gino es un miembro del grupo Puerto Rico Sun en flickr.)

Thursday, August 31, 2006

"Migration-The Puerto Rican Experience"

source: www.bronxnet.org

BRONXNET’s documentary “Migration-The Puerto Rican Experience” is the first show of the four-part series to take a closer look into the origins and success stories of the Puerto Rican community in the Bronx. From the first arrival of the Pioneros through present-day elected public office holders, Puerto Ricans have played a prominent role in the development of the Bronx community.
Producer and EMMY® Award Winner Walter Garaicoa takes you back in time to
discover never-before-seen images of the life of puertorriqueños during the 1940s through the 1970s. The documentary browses through breathtaking photographs and footage from the past century.
Mike Amadeo-Owner of Casa Amadeo, Hon. Adolfo Carrión-Bronx Borough President, David Gonzalez-Writer for the New York Times, Lorraine Montenegro-Executive Director of United Bronx Parents, Inc., Hon. José Rivera-NYS Assemblyman, Rossana Rosado-Publisher & CEO of El Diario La Prensa, Bobby Sanabria-Grammy Nominated percussionist, Alma Torres-Warner, Austin Torres-Daughter and Son of Hon. Judge Felipe Torres, open their hearts and tell us about the difficulties faced and often rewarding times of growing up in the Bronx.
The documentary features New York City’s renowned historians and experts;
Dr. Clara Rodriguez, Professor of Sociology at Fordham University, Lloyd Ultan, Borough Historian of the Bronx and Brian Andersson, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Records.
YOU CAN WATCH A 7 MINUTE PREVIEW at www.bronxnet.org.
MIGRATION-THE PUERTO RICAN EXPERIENCE will air this autumn exclusively on BRONXNET Television. Airdates coming soon!
Community calendar

source: www.prolibertadweb.com

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22nd 6-9PM
OPENING RECEPTION: NOT ENOUGH SPACE
Artwork by Oscar Lopez Rivera and Carlos Alberto Torres
An Exhibition Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Their Imprisonment

The National Boricua Human Rights Network presents Not Enough Space, an
exhibition of artwork by two Puerto Rican political prisoners, Carlos Alberto Torres and Oscar Lopez Rivera, who have endured 25 years of incarceration for their actions on behalf of Puerto Rican independence.
The exhibition, at The Taller Boricua from September 22nd through November
4th, includes paintings, vibrant pieces of ceramic work and a simulated jail
cell installation.

With Guests of Honor Dylcia Pagán, former political prisoner, and Jose
Lopez, Director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Chicago and
brother of Oscar Lopez Rivera. This exhibition is sponsored by the National
Boricua Human Rights Network, and is hosted locally by The Taller Boricua at
The Julia De Burgos Latino Cultural Center.

For more information, contact the National Boricua Human Rights Network: www.boricuahumanrights.org.

What: "Not Enough Space" Exhibition
When: Friday, September 22nd through
Saturday, November 4th, 2006
Where: The Taller Boricua at The Julia De Burgos Latino Cultural Center
1680 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10029
Gallery hours: Tuesday through Saturday 12 - 6 PM, Thursday 1 - 7 PM
Opening: Friday, September 22nd, 6:00 - 9:00 PM

#6 train to 103rd Street. The Taller Boricua is located at The Julia de
Burgos Latino Cultural Center on Lexington Ave. between 105 and 106
Streets on the first floor.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Executive Director of La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña Remembered

Don Otilio Díaz, executive director of La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña in New York City, died Monday, August 21. He was 75. Díaz had no children, but is survived here in New York by a sister and several nieces.

A public memorial will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, August 30 and Thursday, August 31 in Room 103 of the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center, located at 1680 Lexington Avenue near 106 Street in El Barrio. Religious services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, September 1 at Saint Cecilia's Church, located on East 106th Street between Lexington and Park avenues. Diaz will then be buried in his hometown of Guayama, Puerto Rico.

Background

Otilio Díaz was born in Guayama, near the southern coast of Puerto Rico. He earned a B. A. from the University of Puerto Rico and an M.S. in Educational Administration from Fordham University.

In 1981, Mr. Díaz joined La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña, Inc. as its Executive Director. Over the next 25 years, he worked diligently to promote traditional Puerto Rican arts and culture, including folkloric dancing and music - and to welcome frequent visitors from Puerto Rico and other Latin American nations. Intensely proud of his heritage, Mr. Díaz was also instrumental in the agency's acquisition of thousands of books and artifacts from and about Puerto Rico. As a result, La Casa was greatly appreciated by many in the Puerto Rican and Latino community.

The board of directors of La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña, Inc. has held several meetings to discuss the agency’s future, and will now begin moving forward to implement their Strategic Plan. In lieu of flowers, donations made be made to La Casa’s “Otilio Diaz Memorial Fund.” For more information, visit: www.lacasapr.org.


Photos:
http://lacasapr.org/Docs/Otilio/index.htm

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Featured story

Hartford Courant, Sat, 12 Aug 2006 0:16 AM PDT
Agency To Close Hartford Office At Year's End
http://feeds.courant.com/~r/Courant/ConnecticutNews/~3/11629677/hc-ctshutdown0812.artaug12,0,7136756.story
The
Hartford office of a federal agency that has helped Puerto Ricans in
Connecticut register to vote, get birth certificates, find jobs, further
their education and establish and maintain economic connections with
the island will shut its doors Dec. 31.

Friday, August 11, 2006

Ojeda: FBI Cleared

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-fbireport0810.artaug10,0,4254269.story?coll=hc-headlines-local

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

TV

Visions of Puerto Rico

Premiers Nationwide on PBS Monday, August 7, 2006 at 8 PM!

(check pbs.org for local airdates and times)

New York, NY--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--VISIONS OF PUERTO RICO offers viewers a visit in paradise from the timeless plazas of Old San Juan around the island and back again, using the lighthouses at the four corners of the island as transition points. The first Caribbean destination in the popular VISIONS series features aerial and ground footage shot in high definition with the latest technology; informative narration about the island’s rich history, architecture and lush natural beauty; and a soundtrack of local favorites including the omnipresent chirp of the tiny coqui frog. Rita Moreno narrates.

For an island barely 35 miles wide by 100 miles long there is more natural diversity than anyone would believe, and VISIONS OF PUERTO RICO makes the ultimate tour possible, showcasing all of Puerto Rico’s many facets – whether up close with the vibrant dancers on the last day of Carnaval in Ponce, scaling the heights of Cerro Puntas, gliding over the placid beauty of small mountain towns and west coast beaches, wondering at the modern glamour of hotel resorts, casinos and golf courses in the Condado district, or taking in the breathtaking sights of the lush El Yunque rainforest, from the powerful waterfalls to the view from the summit that has not changed since the original Taíno people stood on the same ground.

VISIONS OF PUERTO RICO is available on DVD with bonus material including Spanish language narration by Miriam Colón through PBS stations, wliw.org - "pledge online" banner, or by calling 1.800.767.2121.


Additional locations include:
Bahia de San Juan
Fuerte San Felipe del Morro
La Fortaleza
Fuerte San Cristobal
Plaza de Colón
Parroquia San Agustin
Plazuela de la Rogativa
Raíces Fountain
Puerta de San Juan
Cathedral de San Juan
Casa Rosa
Antiguo Casino
Plaza de Armas
Museo de Casals
El Capitolio
Miramar District
Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelote
Hato Rey District
Jardín Botánico
Estadio Hiram Bithorn
Universidad de Puerto Rico
Teodoro Moscoso Bridge
Hipodromo El Comandante
Rio Grande de Loiza
La Cabeza de San Juan Reserva
Fajardo Lighthouse
Puerto del Rey
Palmas del Mar
Humacao Coast
Cayo Santiago
Punta Tuna Lighthouse
Guayama
Iglesia San Antonio de Padua
Aibonito
El Cañon de San Cristóbal
Monumento al Jibaro
Cathedral Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe
Plaza las Delicias
Parque de Bombas
El Vigia
Guánica
Gilligan's Island
Cabo Rojo Lighthouse
Boquerón Resort
Mayagüez
Universidad de Puerto Rico Mayagüez
Plaza Colón
Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria
Mayagüez City Hall
Rincón Lighthouse
Aguadilla
Arecibo
Caterdal San Felipe Apostól
Parque de las Cayernas del Rio Camuy


Other WLIW New York productions airing nationwide this summer (check local listings): THE PUERTO RICANS: OUR AMERICAN STORY, THE MEXICAN AMERICANS and MARIACHI: THE SPIRIT OF MEXICO. Underwriter: PBS viewers. Produced by WLIW New York. Executive Producer/Aerial Director: Roy A. Hammond; Producer/Writer: Sam Toperoff; Camera Operator: Grant Bieman.

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Community Calendar

Keeper of History-Holder of Dreams

You are invited to:

Diógenes Ballester”s exhibition Keeper of History-Holder of Dreams at The National Museum of Catholic Art and History.

An Opening Night Reception will be held at the Museum on 20 July 2006, 5:30-8:00 p.m.

The National Museum of Catholic Art and History
443 East 115th Street
New York, New York 10029

Phone: (212) 828-5209
Facsimile: (212) 828-5208

Contact:
Paul Tabor, Director of Development
E-mail: ptabor@nmcah.org
Peggy Hammerle-McGuire, Curator
E-mail: mcguire@nmcah.org

IMG_5518


IMG_5518
Originally uploaded by clarisel.
National Puerto Rican Day Parade
NYC

Upcoming show on PRSUN TV "Boricua Pride," featuring footage of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (in Manhattan) and the Bronx Puerto Rican Parade. An artist friend describes the footage featured on PRSUN TV as a "cultural manifestation" of boricua pride. The footage puts a special focus on the average people celebrating being Puerto Rican at the parades. It is a collection of snapshots.

PRSUN TV -- Starting at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Channel 69, Bronxnet

IMG_5534


IMG_5534
Originally uploaded by clarisel.
National Puerto Rican Day Parade, NYC

IMG_5131


IMG_5131
Originally uploaded by clarisel.
The Bronx Puerto Rican Day Parade