Puerto Rico Sun

LatinoJustice connects hundreds of students and young leaders for May 1 action New civic engagement network promotes Latino activism across the country The next generation of Latino leaders has a new tool to help them get involved in the fight for civil rights. LatinoJustice, an online civic engagement network created by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (PRLDEF), connects students and young Latino activists across the country, and helps engage them in the fight for social justice. LatinoJustice connects doers, thinkers and motivators who seek to galvanize their communities. In the weeks leading up to this year's May 1 events, LatinoJustice connected hundreds of students and young leaders from across the country with information on where and how to get involved. After May 1, the network will continue to connect young leaders for future activism, including organizing naturalization campaigns and voter registration drives, and conducting poll watching to ensure

Featured Story The House votes to create a commission to look into building the National Museum of the American Latino in the nation's capital. WASHINGTON -- Four years ago, a museum celebrating the history and culture of Native Americans opened at the east end of the National Mall. Within a decade, one honoring the contributions of African Americans will be erected on the west end, near the Washington Monument. Yet Latinos, the nation's largest and fastest-growing minority, have no museum of their own in the nation's capital. But the National Museum of the American Latino came one step closer to reality Tuesday when the House, by a vote of 291 to 117, approved legislation that includes creation of a commission to study the feasibility of building such a facility. For more, go to http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-latino30apr30,1,496988.story Editor's Note: The history of Puerto Ricans in the United States (and even on the island) must play a pro

img_1408_sm Originally uploaded by Ola Lola .

CINE_REAL: a curatorial series on cinema and new media Judith Escalona's "Bx3M: a work in process" Hector Canonge's "Idolatries/Idolatrías" Closing Reception: Wednesday, April 30, 6-8 p.m. Music provided by Joe Falcon and Coco Rico with Stuart Watson MediaNoche is located in the corner store at 1355 Park Avenue, NE corner of 102nd Street, NYC's El Barrio MediaNoche, Uptown's gallery devoted to new media, presents Cine_Real: a curatorial series on the impact of new media on cinema. The two exhibiting works utilize digital technologies towards very different ends, altering our film sense. Free admission Regular gallery hours: Wednesday - Friday, 3-7 p.m., and by appointment For more information: (212) 828-0401 or visit www.medianoche.us

Community Calendar A Chat with Tato Torres of YERBABUENA An Informal Discussion on Contemporary Puerto Rican Music in New York 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, April 30 Admission: $5 Cemí Underground, 1799 Lexington Ave., NYC's El Barrio Description: Tato Torres, singer/musician/composer and founder and director of the renown Boricua Roots Music band YERBABUENA hosts an informal open discussion on the history, presence and future of contemporary Boricua Roots Music. Boricua Roots Music is a musical movement in which Boricua musicians have combined and re-combined elements of traditional and/or "folkloric" music as contemporary musical expressions. This style of modern music, which reaches back to the roots of Boricua (Puerto Rican) tradition has come to be called "roots music" or "música de raíz" in Spanish. The movement is also often referred to simply as "roots" or "raíces" in Spanish. For more information, call (212) 860-2820 or e-m

In the Mailbox Saludos: Aquí sólo un breve aviso para que sepan que nuestra película, "Ladrones y Mentirosos" (Thieves and Liars) ya está disponible en DVD. Un abrazo, Poli Marichal y Ricardo Méndez Matta

In the Mailbox Dear Editor, Do you know a young person with something to say? Well, there’s still time! The New York Civil Liberties Union is sponsoring its annual Freedom in Expression contest that asks youth to tell their stories, voice their opinions and speak out. Winners will receive cash prizes of up to $1,000. Contestants can enter an essay, a song, a spoken word piece, a poem, visual art, a video, a public service announcement or something even more creative. Entries just need to express views on an aspect of justice in America. The contest is open to all New York City youth younger than 20-years-old and the deadline is coming up! Entries must be submitted by Monday, May 19. (For more information and to enter the contest, go to http://www.nyclu.org/contest .) Good luck! Donna Lieberman Executive Director, NYCLU

Salsa Symphony Originally uploaded by clarisel . The Bronx Arts Ensemble perform "Fifty Years of Salsa A Symphonic Odyssey" at the Hostos Center for Arts & Culture in the Bronx. It was a packed house Saturday night with audience members enjoying salsa hits such as "El Bombon de Elena" (50's), "Oye como va" (60's), "Periodico de ayer" (70's), "Lluvia" (80's), and "Vivir lo nuestro" (90's). All songs were performed with a symphonic twist. Boricua Raymond Torres-Santos served as the conductor and arranger.

In March 2007, El Barrio and New York City celebrated the naming of East 106 Street in East Harlem in honor of the late Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos. The street is now also known as Julia de Burgos Blvd. PRSUN TV was there. This is a shorter version of the show, which originally aired on Bronxnet in the Bronx. -- Clarisel Gonzalez, producer

Refrescante chorro en la fuente en la Plaza Quinto Centenario Originally uploaded by Mr.Frankie .

The Puerto Rico Traveling Theater kicked off its Festival of New Play Readings 2008 this month and it will run until May 27. The readings are part of the theater's Playwrights Unit. Among some of the upcoming plays are "Widows" by Nancy Nevarez, which is about Latinas growing up in the South Bronx in the 1970s and "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" by Carlos J. Serrano about a baseball star who is his own toughest rival. (Note: Click on the image posted here to see the text in larger size of all the readings.) All readings are free at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, 304 W. 47 St., Manhattan. They are at 7 p.m. After each reading, there is a short discussion with a guest moderator. For more information, visit www.prtt.org or call 212 354-1293.

Sports Serrano Urges Selig to Rethink Approach to Developing Puerto Rican Baseball Players In a letter to Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig sent on Thursday, Congressman Serrano asked Commissioner Selig to reconsider Major League Baseball's policy for signing prospective players from Puerto Rico. In the letter Serrano expressed his opinion that including Puerto Rican players in the regular draft keeps them from having the opportunity to fully realize their potential. To read more, go to http://serrano.house.gov/Newsletter.aspx?NewsID=1551#baseball_cont Source: The Serrano Report

Attention: Salsa lovers. The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, the Bronx Arts Ensemble, Inc. and William Scribner, executive/artistic director, will present "Fifty Years of Salsa, A Symphonic Odyssey" tomorrow night. This so-called concert-celebration of the salsa tradition with a twist will be held at the main theater of the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture on the Grand Concourse in the South Bronx. The 7:30 p.m. show will feature Bronx Arts Ensemble Orchestra and Raymond Torres-Santos, conductor and arranger. The show will include special guest soloists: Jerry Medina, Tito Allen, Isidro Infante, Nelson González and Ralph Irrizarry. You will know the songs – Oye cómo va , Pedro Navaja , Anacaona , Así se compone un son , Cara de payaso , Periódico de ayer and many others. The concert promises to be a hit parade of all the tunes you danced back in the day. And, they will be sung and played by some of the great salseros of our times, but in symphonic form

Poetry The NuyoRican School Poetry Jazz Ensemble will present an evening of bilingual poetry mixed with jazz and Afro-Cuban drumming at the Point’s Live From the Edge Theater in the Bronx tonight. This ensemble invites the public to come celebrate National Poetry Month as they pay homage to three of our most important and prolific Latino poets: Pablo Neruda, Julia De Burgos, and Mario Benedetti. Actor Luis Enrique Flores and vocalist Wendy Rossi-Fernandez provide a presentation of these poets' love poems accompanied by guitarist Octavio Kotan's rendition of Carlos Almaran's popular Spanish ballad: Historia De Un Amor. The poems will be recited in Spanish and printed translations will be available. Balancing the ensemble's bilingual repertoire, poet Américo Casiano Jr. presents his award-winning urban poems intermingled with Charles Mingus' Nostalgia in Times Square. The ensemble also pays tribute to Cuba's Alfredo Abrau of Los Papines with their rendition o

La Rogativa Originally uploaded by kikepic .

Four Latino comedians Eric Nieves, Arnold Acevedo (who served as master of ceremonies), Eddie Morales and Herbie Quinones brought a few laughs to East Harlem earlier this month when they performed at Cemi Underground. The comedians say their style of humor comes from a Latino point of view. “Our comedy is in English,” Nieves said. “Then again all of us perform something that is pure Latino: from rice and beans to dominoes and the jive-talk we heard from our parents growing up.” The majority of their performance was based on their growing up Latino, home experiences, and culture. Their performance at Cemi Underground was a fine mixture of comedy, audience participation, monologue, and poetry. -- Ismael Nunez (In the photo, from left, Eric Nieves, Arnold Acevedo, Hector Caraballo, Kimberly Morales, Eddie Morales, and Herbie Quinones, pose before their performance in East Harlem).

Parque De Las Palomas Originally uploaded by kikepic .

In the Mailbox New Art in the Senator Serrano's District Office in East Harlem We have more great art in the district office this month! Please come by and take a look. The beautiful paintings were created by Magda Luccioni, and hang throughout Senator Serrano's office. Magda was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, a city that was central to the development of bomba and plena. These traditional Puerto Rican art forms are prominent themes in Magda's work. She is a self taught artist who views art as an important form of spiritual release. "I will paint till the day I die." says Magda. The gallery is curated by community member Taina Traverso. For more information Serrano's site, visit www.nyssenate28.com .

Felicidades to our friends at boricuation.com. Boricuation.com is now sponsored by a grant from SeedCo Financial in association with The NYC Business Solutions Center and the New York City Department of Small Business Services. In the next few weeks, we will be upgrading the boricuation.com website with more features and information on Puerto Rican history and culture. The grant awarded to boricuation.com will directly assist in our presence on the internet. The grant was for $1,275. NYC Business Solutions offers free, quick and reliable answers to a broad range of your business questions, whether you are an entrepreneur or an on-going enterprise - of any size. The Mission of NYC Business Solutions is to help the business community of New York City find efficient solutions to common business problems. The Vision of NYC Business Solutions is to transform the city into the resource of first-choice for business assistance. NYC Business Solutions is an initiative of the New York

Latino Lens PRSUN TV talks to boricua photographers Enid Alvarez and Marisol Diaz at their Latino Lens exhibit at Boricua College in the Bronx. This is a shorter, edited version of PRSUN TV, which originally aired Latino Lens on Bronxnet in the Bronx in 2006. That year Latino Lens was nominated for a BETA (Bronx Excellence in Television Access) award for best talk show, Bronxnet's version of the Emmy. -- Clarisel Gonzalez, producer

DSC00132 Originally uploaded by BabyCoqui .

KR3T'S Dance Company Celebrates This is an edited version of PRSUN TV's coverage in 2006 of the 16th anniversary celebration of this East Harlem-based dance school. For more info. on the dance school, visit www.kr3ts.com .

El Morro, San Juan Puerto Rico Originally uploaded by Fernando Cuevas .

South Bronx is a 'Refreshing Adventure' for this Boricua Photographer Black and white images depict the story of Puerto Ricans living among the South Bronx rubble back in the day. Photos tell the stories of young people riding trains plagued with graffiti and playing on lots full of debris. Despite all the poverty and the urban decay all around them, many of these people, many of them young men and women, are seen smiling, dancing and having a good time in the photos captured by Ricky Flores. Today, the South Bronx is not the same as the one captured in Flores' photos. It surely isn't as rundown as it was back then. The South Bronx has certainly changed for the better even though it is still considered one of the poorest congressional districts in the country. Yet, those images of the Bronx of yesterday can and will probably never be forgotten. While many young people didn't survive, many others not only survived but helped bring the South Bronx back. One

Voices for the Voiceless poetry event @ Amherst College, Amherst, MA, December 2005 In 2005, PRSUN TV accepted an invitation from poet Jaime "Shaggy" Flores to head north to Massachusetts for a night of poetry. This is an edited shorter version of PRSUN TV's Voices for the Voiceless show, which originally aired on Bronxnet in the Bronx.

Flashback BLOGS photo exhibit in 2005 @ MediaNoche in NYC's El Barrio More than 200 photographers and photo enthusiasts from different parts of the world took part in this virtual exhibit, curated by moi. The paricipating artists are members of three photo groups on flickr.com . They are NYC Exposition, Puerto Rico Sun and East Harlem. PRSUN TV talks to some of the boricuas/Latinos who took part. This is a shorter version of the PRSUN TV show that originally aired on Bronxnet in the Bronx. PRSUN TV is currently working on its video archives. More shows will be available online. New shows coming soon. Thanks for your support of PRSUN TV. -- Clarisel Gonzalez, producer

Religion Pope's Visit to the U.S. Pope Benedict XVI Benedict arrives today for a six-day visit to Washington and then New York. His visit will be filled with a lineup of activities of course. The pope will meet President Bush at the White House where he plans to speak to the president about immigration and other issues. He will also speak at the U.N., visit ground zero and celebrate Mass at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx before leaving Sunday night. Here's a video welcoming the pope from The Archdiocese of Baltimore, the first Catholic diocese in the United States:

In the Mailbox Dear Friends, City Lore and the Brooklyn Historical Society are hosting a free community discussion "Latino History in Brooklyn: Voices from the Puerto Rican Oral History Project 1974-1976" during the Mayor's Immigrant Heritage Week in New York City. Sunday, April 20th, 3-5 p.m. Brooklyn Historical Society 128 Pierrepont Street Free For more information, log on to Brooklyn Historical Society's website or call 718-419-4285 ext 233. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, so therefore are migrants and not immigrants, but they have encountered similar concerns as others who underwent the immigrant experience. Puerto Rican community historian Ralph Mendez will present his collection of steamship artifacts and research about early-20th century migration from Puerto Rico to Brooklyn. City Lore's folklorist Elena Martinez will discuss audio clips from BHS's Puerto Rican Oral History Project collected in the early 1970s with narrators telling their steam

Film The Havana Film Festival New York will collaborate with Hunter College’s Center for Puerto Rican Studies on a two-day program of Puerto Rican movies called Centro at the Movies, scheduled for Monday, April 14, and Tuesday, April 15, at Hunter College School of Social Work. This will include a presentation and films highlighting the center’s role in sponsoring and promoting Puerto Rican documentary films over the past 30 years. Admission is free. Just click on the image to see larger.

Cabo Rojo lighthouse Originally uploaded by KAP'n Craig .

El Choliceo Originally uploaded by EdVeguilla .

Dance FAMILIA, Prepárense pa' echar un pie con La Plena Boricua, al estilo de Los Pleneros de la 21, esta noche en ¡GOZA Y BAILA LA PLENA! LA PLENA IS BACK !!! Come join us in this dance/concert with your friends, family and neighbors so that you can all DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY together to original musical compositions and interpretations of traditional and contemporary plenas LP21 style! This unique concert is guaranteed to make you dance all night with live performances by the LP21 ensemble, guest artists and members of LP21’s pioneer class of Bomba & Plena: Un Paso Alante - our new Urban Institute for emerging and midcareer traditional arts practitioners and musicians! Admission: $15 For tickets or more information, call (212)427-5221 or e-mail rioloizapr@yahoo.com . Hosted By: Los Pleneros de la 21 When: Friday, April 11 at 8 p.m. Where: Julia de Burgos Cultural Center 1680 Lexintgon Avenue El Barrio, NYC source: Los Pleneros de la 21

Personajes de Pueblo: ''Monegro'' Originally uploaded by Luis Angel Molina Quiñones .

Featured story Cerrado caso Ojeda Ríos Tras más de dos años de investigación y sufrir un revés ante el Tribunal Supremo de Estados Unidos, el Departamento de Justicia de Puerto Rico cerró la investigación sobre el operativo federal en que resultó muerto el líder machetero, Filiberto Ojeda Rios. Para el reporte completo por Aixa Vázquez, visite www.wapa.tv .

La Rogativa Originally uploaded by luis munoz .

Community Calendar Photography

IMG_7070 Originally uploaded by clarisel . @ New Haven, Conn.

Victor Vazquez-Hernandez is seeking boricuas to help bring back and revitalize the historic National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights (NCPRR). According to the April newsletter of the National Institute for Latino Policy, the goal of this organization is “to address what many perceive as a leadership vacuum in the stateside Puerto Rican community.” Founded in 1981, the NCPRR has been inactive for a number of years. But Vazquez-Hernandez is working to change that. He and other community leaders are seeking to reinvent the NCPRR to serve as a voice for Puerto Ricans today as the organization did back in the day. The NCPRR will attempt to provide support for these local efforts by connecting activists through its newsletter, online and by mobilizing public opinion on issues relevant to Puerto Ricans nationally and in Puerto Rico. According to an essay titled “A Brief Historical Overview of the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights, 1981-2004” by Vazquez-Hernandez, delivered in Janu

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College, the Hostos Community College Foundation will host its 2008 Benefit Gala on Thursday, April 17, at Marina del Rey in the Bronx. The event will begin with a welcoming reception at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and dancing to the music of nine-time Grammy Award-winning artist Eddie Palmieri and his orchestra. “Turning 40 is a major milestone in the life of this college,” said President Dolores M. Fernández. “Over time, Hostos has progressed from being ‘the little college that could’ to ‘a jewel in the South Bronx.’ Our 2008 Benefit Gala will be a wonderful opportunity to thank those who founded this institution, those who kept the faith during its formative years, and those whose continuing commitment to excellence ensures an even brighter future. Moreover, the scholarship funds raised by this event will help many deserving students attain their educational goals. What better reasons cou

Originally uploaded by Mi nombre no es cLaRa bOw . Santurce, PR

Garita HDR sunset Originally uploaded by luis munoz .

In the Mailbox Dear Editor: After reading Puerto Rico Sun's November 30, 2007 entry about a documentary on Puerto Ricans in the Bronx, I realized that one of the interviews featured in "Migration: The Puerto Rican Experience" happens to be with one of the most inspirational people in my life. I met Alma Torres-Warner back in 1986 at a school in the Bronx. The New York City Board of Education had a program called the Auxiliary Services for High School (ASHS). The program offered preparations for the General Educational Development (GED), and I attended the one at 383 Willis Avenue on 138th St called The Roberto Clemente Center, where Torres-Warner was at the time the center administrator. I remember I had just arrived that year to New York from Puerto Rico. I wanted to something with my life and quickly decided to prepare for the GED, so I enrolled in Roberto Clemente Center. I was excited that I was doing something with my life, but I didn't have any idea as to whe

Cabo Rojo light Originally uploaded by KAP'n Craig .

Featured News Story Rafael Hernandez Colon discusses politics at The Warehouse in Syracuse. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has enjoyed the support of Hispanics in Democratic presidential primaries earlier this year, but she may lack that support in Puerto Rico's primary June 1, the island's former governor said Thursday in Syracuse. For more, go to an article by Maureen Sieh, urban affairs editor,The Post-Standard in Syracuse, NY, at http://www.syracuse.com/articles/news/index.ssf?/base/news-13/120729968652651.xml&coll=1

Bienvenida "Beni" Matías, a boricua filmmaker who is the new executive director of the Association of Hispanic Arts (AHA) in NYC's East Harlem, says one of her priorities now is getting feedback from local artists. "I love arts organizations connected to the Latino community," says Matías about why she took on this new professional challenge. At a meet-and-greet activity Wednesday night at the Longwood Art Gallery in the Bronx, artists were busy chatting with Matías. And, she was all ears. After all, she says, "I need artists to come and tell me what's important to them." -- Clarisel Gonzalez Here's the press release from AHA on Matías' appointment: The Association of Hispanic Arts (AHA) announced (in March) their new Executive Director, Bienvenida (Beni) Matías. The AHA Board of Director’s Chairperson, Elba Cabrera said, "The Board is pleased that Beni will be leading the organization in the next stage of our development. She

In the First Person My Night with Piri Thomas By Ismael Nunez I had the pleasure of speaking to author Piri Thomas earlier this year before he had a stroke. I wish him a quick recovery. Here are some of my notes from my conversation with Piri. I remember the night I spent with Piri Thomas. It was on a February night in Brooklyn, New York. Piri Thomas, the legendary author of “Down these Mean Streets,” was the featured speaker at an event entitled “Capicu Poetry Cultural Showcase” at the Notice Lounge,198 Union Avenue in Williamsburg. That night there was a rich lineup of live cultural performances as part of an Open Mic. It was a nice place to be on a cold night. PRSUN sat down with Thomas for only five minutes. I remember listening to him talk and thinking how strong this man is. Rappers, poets, hip-hop artists, listen and learn! PRSUN: You wrote the book 41 years ago. Still a best seller, read in schools and colleges. Is this magic or …? Thomas: It’s no magic. The reason it

for East Harlem Arts Symposium & Arts Festival For more info., call 212 828 5829 or e-mail nyssenate28@gmail.com .

Family Puerto Rico Has Higher Homeownership, Larger Households Residents of Puerto Rico had a higher homeownership rate, had more people per household and were less likely to move than U.S. stateside residents, according to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data from the 2006 Puerto Rico Community Survey. Puerto Rico's homeownership rate of 74.1 percent was lower than only two states -- Minnesota (76.3 percent) and Michigan (75.2 percent). There were 3.13 persons per household in Puerto Rico, compared with 2.61 in the United States, and 7.1 percent of Puerto Ricans moved within the commonwealth in 2006, compared with 13.5 percent who moved within the same U.S. state. These are among the wide range of data now available annually from the Census Bureau's Puerto Rico Community Survey. 

Among the other findings are: • According to Census Bureau population estimates program, there were 3.9 million people living in Puerto Rico in 2006. Of these, nearly 20 percent were children an

Originally uploaded by Luis Angel Molina Quiñones .

El batey Originally uploaded by Mr.Frankie .

Artist Opportunity The Young Playwrights Latino Challenge Submission deadline: April 7 A message from TeatroStageFest: Greetings! If you are a New York City high school student - Latino or not - listen up! There are only 7 days left to submit your original plays to the Young Playwrights Latino Challenge, the second annual city-wide playwriting competition held by TeatroStageFest in partnership with Young Playwrights Inc. Don't miss this awesome chance to be a part of the most exciting, two-week theatre festival (June 2-15, 2008) featuring great theatre from New York, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain! ALL STUDENTS who submit a script to YPLC will get free tickets to local and international shows at TeatroStageFest 2008, along with a Certificate of Merit, and feedback from a professional playwright. FIRST PRIZE PLAYWRIGHT/S will be awarded $500 and the WINNING PLAY will have a staged reading with professional actors at the celebrated APOLLO THEATER during the YPLC awa

Gone drinking! - HDR, tone mapped, and Orton effect Originally uploaded by JuanBonillaPhotography .