In the Mailbox
Boricuation.com and The Boricuation Cultural Foundation is proud to announce that we have created a home for our internet radio show "Boricuation Sunday Afternoon". Our internet radio show will be based on The Lower East Side in New York City and will be aired on our very own 24/7 internet radio station which will be named Boricuation Internet Cultural Radio Network or "BRadio" for short.
We are going to air our first internet radio broadcast on Sunday May 18th from 3-6 p.m. and will be hosted by Boricuation Cultural Foundation Founder Jose Medina. The show will have the same format of Classic Salsa - Cultural Vibe - Special Guests Interviews - Cultural Education and everything Boricuation.
The web site and link is undergoing the testing phase and will be up and running in the next few days. The internet radio network will run 24/7 providing a steady stream of classic salsa - Boricua roots music - Special cultural presentations and reports. Ad space will be available to interested companies and organizations on the internet radio station and on Boricuation.com.
More information to come in the next few days.
We would like to thank our listenership for all the support during our transition phase. We value the time you invest in tuning in to our internet radio show. We would like to thank everyone for inviting us into your lives. We are honored and committed to bringing you the best our culture has to offer. We work hard to earn your listenership and trust. We are grateful in having the ability to bring you this cultural internet program.
Abrazos!
Jose Medina
Founder
Boricuation Cultural Foundation
Boricuation.com
917 843 6419
boricuation@gmail.com
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Q&A with Latino Sports’ Julio Pabon
Roberto Clemente is prominent figure inside Latino Sports
If you are in the South Bronx and are a Latino sports lover, a place that you must visit is Latino Sports, a small business located at 424 Grand Concourse.
This haven has rare sports collectibles, Latino Sports’ branded merchandise, sports books about Latinos, and jerseys featuring Caribbean baseball teams. Latino Sports considers itself as the “Number 1 Roberto Clemente Memorabilia Store.”
Latino Sports is not just a business. There is a small museum at the shop, which is free and open to the public.
The store’s motto is: “It’s about us, it’s about time!”
Julio Pabon, CEO and founder of Latino Sports, recently spoke with Bronx Latino about his shop.
(Julio Pabon, left, is pictured here with Senator Jose M. Serrano at the East Harlem Little League Parade.)
Q: Why did this business get started?
A: It got started out of anger. It was a result of an award we presented to Ruben Sierra who at that time was playing baseball with the Texas Rangers. Many felt he deserved to win the “Most Valuable Player Award” in the American League. Eventually, the award went to Robin Yount who played with the Milwaukee Brewers. The baseball writers voted for Yount. Who’s to say they were wrong? Yount had a good season, but then again Sierra’s numbers were far better.
This event showed that a Latin American institution to highlight the positive values of Latinos in sports was needed. So, I felt it was important for the community to have our own award. I didn’t know that it was going to turn out to be a yearly thing and then to the creation of Latino Sports.
Q: So, Latino Sports is not just about promoting the goodness of Latino athletes. Do you also consider yourselves as activists?
A: This is true. That’s how it basically got started. We realized that Latinos were overlooked not only in baseball but also in other sports.
Q: Latino Sports is heavily involved in the fight to retire “Roberto Clemente’s number 21.” Why is that?
A: Very true. Clemente was not only a great player and Hall of Famer. He was a humanitarian, father/husband, and a person who was proud of his Afro-Puerto Rican heritage. He stood up for things he believed in, loved people/children, and gave back. That is why number 21 should be retired.
Q: If 21 were retired, what would that mean to the Latino sports community?
A: It will be a victory for the entire Latin American community everywhere. It will be something that we believed in, working side by side by side to get. That team effort and caring is what has made Latino Sports a success.
For more information about Latino Sports, visit www.latinosports.com. – by Ismael Nunez
(Photos by Ismael Nunez)
Note: This article was originally published in Bronx Latino at www.bronxlatino.blogspot.com.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Town Hall Meeting for Our Artists
In the Mailbox
THE CEG - Cultural Equity Group Present:
SUSTAINING OUR ARTISTS, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS OF COLOR DURING THE "RECESSION"
Hunter College
68th & Lexington Avenue , 7th Floor
Hall 714 West Building, Manhattan
Friday, May 9
6 - 8 p.m.
Moderated by:
Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, Founder of the Caribbean Cultural Center
Panelists: Heather Hitchens, Executive Director of NYSCA; Arana J. Hankins, Assistant Secretary for Cultural & Economic Development Office of the NYS Governor David A. Paterson; Kathleen Hughes, NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs Assistant Commissioner; NYS Assemblyman Darryl C. Towns , 54th District, Chair, Black Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus; and Laurie Cumbo, Founder of MoCADA
Dear Artists, Cultural Activists and People concerned about the community:
We have certainly brought in 2008 with a burst of energy and excitement filled with opportunity and hope for the future! We applaud everyone for their dedication and hard work to preserve and landmark our institutions and culture, which will have an instrumental impact on the quality of life for our communities as well as for future generations. In order to make an impact, we must continue to educate ourselves about the funding process.
We need your voice to be heard and we would appreciate your support in sending this email far and wide to your perspective communities in order to demonstrate to our legislators that our culture is important to the cultural landscape of New York City. Please do not continue to allow the challenges of our community to fall on the shoulders of a few because we need everyone in order to create an impact.
The Cultural Equity Group (CEG) cordially invites you to attend a very important Town Hall Meeting on Friday, May 9th, 6 p.m. at Hunter College (68th & Lexington Avenue) 7th Fl., Hall 714, West Building, to discuss three very important issues that will impact our community:
1. Sustaining our artists, arts organizations and cultural institutions of color during the current "recession" and new stricter budget reforms;
2. Defining a new per capita funding model based on the ethnic and racial demographics of New York City-a more realistic support process, which would impact communities that are underserved;
3. Exploring recommendations, strategies and policies for cultural equity.
Your participation is important! It will help define New York City 's Cultural policy of the future. Sample copies of letters to be sent to your elected officials will be distributed at the meeting. There will also be a petition for you to sign.
Please make every effort to attend. You can RSVP at elsa@latinoarts.org or call 212.876.1242. Thanking you in advance for remaining unified in our commitment to Cultural Equity for our artists and the communities we serve.
Very truly yours,
Steering Committee
Cultural Equity Group
Sandra García Betancourt
Executive Director & CEO
Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA)
The Cornerstone Center
178 Bennett Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10040
www.NoMAAnyc.org
THE CEG - Cultural Equity Group Present:
SUSTAINING OUR ARTISTS, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS OF COLOR DURING THE "RECESSION"
Hunter College
68th & Lexington Avenue , 7th Floor
Hall 714 West Building, Manhattan
Friday, May 9
6 - 8 p.m.
Moderated by:
Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, Founder of the Caribbean Cultural Center
Panelists: Heather Hitchens, Executive Director of NYSCA; Arana J. Hankins, Assistant Secretary for Cultural & Economic Development Office of the NYS Governor David A. Paterson; Kathleen Hughes, NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs Assistant Commissioner; NYS Assemblyman Darryl C. Towns , 54th District, Chair, Black Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus; and Laurie Cumbo, Founder of MoCADA
Dear Artists, Cultural Activists and People concerned about the community:
We have certainly brought in 2008 with a burst of energy and excitement filled with opportunity and hope for the future! We applaud everyone for their dedication and hard work to preserve and landmark our institutions and culture, which will have an instrumental impact on the quality of life for our communities as well as for future generations. In order to make an impact, we must continue to educate ourselves about the funding process.
We need your voice to be heard and we would appreciate your support in sending this email far and wide to your perspective communities in order to demonstrate to our legislators that our culture is important to the cultural landscape of New York City. Please do not continue to allow the challenges of our community to fall on the shoulders of a few because we need everyone in order to create an impact.
The Cultural Equity Group (CEG) cordially invites you to attend a very important Town Hall Meeting on Friday, May 9th, 6 p.m. at Hunter College (68th & Lexington Avenue) 7th Fl., Hall 714, West Building, to discuss three very important issues that will impact our community:
1. Sustaining our artists, arts organizations and cultural institutions of color during the current "recession" and new stricter budget reforms;
2. Defining a new per capita funding model based on the ethnic and racial demographics of New York City-a more realistic support process, which would impact communities that are underserved;
3. Exploring recommendations, strategies and policies for cultural equity.
Your participation is important! It will help define New York City 's Cultural policy of the future. Sample copies of letters to be sent to your elected officials will be distributed at the meeting. There will also be a petition for you to sign.
Please make every effort to attend. You can RSVP at elsa@latinoarts.org or call 212.876.1242. Thanking you in advance for remaining unified in our commitment to Cultural Equity for our artists and the communities we serve.
Very truly yours,
Steering Committee
Cultural Equity Group
Sandra García Betancourt
Executive Director & CEO
Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance (NoMAA)
The Cornerstone Center
178 Bennett Avenue, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10040
www.NoMAAnyc.org
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Politics
With 55 delegates, Puerto Rico eager for primary limelight
Now Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory for more than 100 years, has a place at the center of American political debate. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are competing for 55 delegates to be chosen in a June 1 Democratic primary. The island also has eight superdelegates.
"We're going to enjoy every minute of the attention," the president of the Puerto Rican Senate, Kenneth D. McClintock, said during a recent visit to the nation's capital. To read the full news report, go to
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/NEWS01/80508023/1006
With 55 delegates, Puerto Rico eager for primary limelight
Now Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory for more than 100 years, has a place at the center of American political debate. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are competing for 55 delegates to be chosen in a June 1 Democratic primary. The island also has eight superdelegates.
"We're going to enjoy every minute of the attention," the president of the Puerto Rican Senate, Kenneth D. McClintock, said during a recent visit to the nation's capital. To read the full news report, go to
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/NEWS01/80508023/1006
Boogie Down Flamenco Dancer
Nelida Tirado to Perform at BADD!
By Ismael Nunez
Nelida Tirado began her formal training at age six at the Ballet Hispanico of NY where she trained in classical ballet, Spanish dance and flamenco. A talented salsa dancer, she has performed with notable Latin music greats such as the late Celia Cruz and the late Tito Puente. She has given workshops in England and Italy and has performed at the Copacabana Salsa Congress.
This week Tirado will perform in her hometown. She is one of three Bronx Indie artists that will kick off BADD!'s (the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance) BOOGIE DOWN DANCE SERIES at 8 p.m. on May 9. BAAD! is teaming up with the Bronx Council on the Arts to present performances by Tirado, Bradon McDonald, and Jessica Danser in what organizers are calling a “spectacular dance concert.”
Tirado has danced with Noche Flamenca and Riverdance and the New York Times has called this Flamenco dancing Bronxite "magnificent."
You can check her out at the dance concert, which will be at The Bronx Academy of Art & Dance, 841 Barretto Street in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx. Admission is $12. For more information on this performance, call 718-842-5223 or www.bronxacademyofartsanddance.org.
PRSUN spoke with Tirado about her dance career, which started in New York and has taken her to different parts of the world.
Q: You started dancing at an early age. Was it something you wanted to do?
A: It definitely was something I wanted to do, but I had no idea that training to be a dancer would be that intense. After a wonderful experience in a kindergarten recital, my mom knew that she needed to put me in classes. It actually wasn’t early. Five to seven years old is a normal age to begin serious formal training if you want to be a professional.
Q: Do you remember the first show you ever did?
A. Honestly, I don’t remember.
Q: Do you get nervous when you perform?
A: Occasionally I do, but I don’t look at the actual show as pressure to be perfect. I see it as an opportunity to express myself.
Q: You performed with two notable Latin music giants: Celia Cruz and Tito Puente. Is this something you’ll never forget?
A: It is definitely an experience I will never forget. They were two of many musical giants I’ve been blessed to work with. It was a wonderful opportunity not only to perform with them but also to have conversations with them.
Q: In your bio it states you’ve worked with notable Flamenco performers in Spain. Can you name a few and what was it like working and performing with these individuals?
A: There were many but the main ones were Maria Pages, Juan Andres Maya and Antonio El Pipa…Juan and Antonio are gypsies. Their dancing and culture is different from the Spaniards. Their culture is a subculture within the Spanish culture. Flamenco for the gypsies is their life…For a lot of them, it’s passed on from generation to generation and there is no formal study. Maria Pages is a Spanish dancer from Seville and is known for her open mentality towards the art form, experimenting and pushing the envelope always with new ideas. I had great experiences with all of them and learned a lot, especially being a foreigner to Spain. I was lucky. Here I was a Bronx girl that was hired to work in Spain with these incredible people. My father did play congas and I do come from a family of musicians but please! It was a big deal to leave NY. It’s difficult to gain their respect and work in Spain being a foreigner. Who would have known that I would have ended up in Spain and traveling the world?
For more information about Tirado, visit her site at www.nelidatirado.com.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Spotlight: Author Abraham Rodriguez
Abraham Rodriguez sports a Boriken T-Shirt at a recent book signing event in East Harlem. Tonight Rodriguez will deliver a reading of his latest novel "South by South Bronx" at the Longwood Art Gallery @ Hostos in the Bronx. It is part of tonight's Bronx Culture Trolley activities. For more information, go to www.bronxarts.org. (Photo by Ismael Nunez)
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
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