| Friday, May 11
Johanny Vázquez New Poetry Book Release
 IPRAC is proud to host the first book- signing of Johanny Vázquez Paz' new work of poetry, Querido Voyeur, published by Ediciones Torremozas (Madrid, Spain). Fri, May 11, 2012 at 6:00 PMInstitute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (IPRAC) 3015 W. Division Street |
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Our Websites:
View our Photos on Flickr!
Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos HS (Over 13,000 pics!)
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Special Tribute to
Dr. Antonia Pantoja Founder of ASPIRA and Boricua College
June 1, 2012
Institute of Puerto Rican
Arts & Culture (IPRAC)
6:30-9:30pm
The Legacy Project, ASPIRA of Illinois, ALMA, Amigas Latinas Unidos, La Casa Norte, Puerto Rican Agenda, and Primera Iglesia Congregacional de Chicago ask that you set aside Friday, June 1, 2012 for a special tribute to the legendary Puerto Rican educator and activist Dr. Antonia Pantoja. She will be the 2012 Inductee to the Legacy Walk. For more information, please email Sonia Sánchez at: ssanchez@aspirail.org
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Available at La Cosecha and IPRAC
"Don Oscar" Coffee, Paseo Boricua Edition
 Café Don Oscar can be purchased for $5.99 at: La Cosecha: 2703 W. Division St. or IPRAC: 3015 W. Division St., 773-486-8345 |
Puerto Rican Cultural Center 2739-41 W. Division St Chicago, Illinois 60622 P 773-342-8023 F 773-342-6609
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IPRAC Participates in the Annual Chicago Cultural Alliance Fundraising Event-MOSAIC
On Thursday, May 4, IPRAC participated in MOSAIC, the Chicago Cultural Alliance's annual fundraising event which celebrates Chicago's ethnic diversity. IPRAC, along with the 50 other cultural institutions in attendance, donated a gift basket of several culturally relevant pieces as well as a work by artist, Antonio Martorell.
The event was held at the Chicago History Museum and was attended by hundreds of members of cultural institutions from throughout Chicago.
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Congratulations to Xavier Luis Burgos, Mike Claudio and Jessica Gutiérrez on Their Recent Graduation
This past week Mike Claudio and Jessica Gutiérrez graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a B.A and M.A. respectively. Xavier Luis Burgos graduated with a B.A from Northeastern Illinois University. These three young people have been leaders both on campus and in the community during their academic careers. We are excited for this new chapter in their lives and look forward to their continued leadership in advocating for our community. Congratulations and keep up the great work! |
Albizu Campos Students Help Beautify Paseo Boricua
The morning of Saturday, May 5, 2012 was cool and gray, and the sky was overcast. Braving these conditions with warm hearts, caring smiles, and dirty hands, about two dozen seniors from Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School worked to beautify Paseo Boricua.
Students planted a variety of bright and colorful annuals in each of the planters along Division Street, and the beds at La Casita de Don Pedro. For more information on Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School and the beautification project, contact Matt Rodríguez, Principal at mattr@pedroalbizucamposhs.org
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San Juan Mayoral Candidate Visits IPRAC
Carmen Yulín, Member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives and candidate for Mayor of San Juan, was at IPRAC on Thursday, May 3rd for a reception with several elected officials and prominent community leaders. Among those present were Congressman Luis Gutiérrez, who gave the opening remarks for the evening; Cook County Commissioner Edwin Reyes, Paul Roldán, CEO of Hispanic Housing Development, Roberto Pagán, President, SEIU SBT (Sindicato Puertorriqueño de Trabajadores), and Ada López of the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women.
Yulín is a prominent member of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) and holds degrees from Boston University and Carnegie Mellon University.
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Antonio Martorell and Northwestern University Working on Permanent Installation for IPRAC
On June 8th, artist Antonio Martorell will unveil his permanent installation at IPRAC entitled "Veveviejo." The installation examines seniors (or super adults) and infants, as the marginalized of humanity. Martorell describes these two groups as the most vulnerable and dependent in our society, since they suffer from abandonment, indifference, and cruelty.
The installation brings these demographics together and has them interact in unsuspected ways, mixing gender and age differences. |
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Martorell to Spend This Sunday in Jail Cell for
"31 Days for 31 Years"
Artist Antonio Martorell will be spending this Sunday, May 13, in the "31 Days for 31 Years" makeshift cell and exhibition. The interactive exhibit, which began on April 28 and will end on May 29 (the 31st anniversary of Oscar's arrest) is being organized by the National Boricua Human Rights Network (NBHRN), Batey Urbano and its Latin@ Coalition. Also featured is an exhibition of Oscar's artwork, literature and posters from the campaign to free Puerto Rican political prisoners for the past 30 years, and a wall of his letters to his supporters.
Antonio Martorell has been artist-in-residence for more than 27 years at the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey. He has workshops in Hato Rey and El Barrio in New York, where he keeps busy at painting, drawing, installation and performance art, graphics, set and costume design, theatre, films, TV, radio and writing for the press. He has published three books and exhibited widely in Latin America, the Caribbean, the United States, Canada and Europe. Martorell has participated in collective shows in Europe, Africa and Asia and awarded prizes in biennials in Italy, Germany, United States, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. His work was included in the 1997 Whitney Biennial of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.  The 6 ft by 6 ft cell, where 31 activists and community residents will spend 24 hours each with a guard, for a total of 31 days, is being populated by university and high school students, teachers, community residents and high-profile individuals such as Minister Abel Muhammed from the Nation of Islam and artist Antonio Martorell. Martorell, visiting Chicago as part of a residency at Northwestern University and preparing for the closing of his "Gestuario /Gestures" exhibit at the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture (IPRAC) will draw and sketch for the 10 hours he will spend in the cell. There will also be a station where people may write to Oscar. A 31 second video of each "prisoners'" reflection is also posted here. Our flickr site is also updated regularly. Check back every few days to see the new content!
The purpose of this exhibit is to call attention to the continued unjust incarceration of political prisoner Oscar López Rivera. The ambitious joint effort of the Latin@ Coalition, Batey Urbano, and NBHRN will culminate in a major event commemorating his arrest and 31 years of imprisonment on Tuesday, May 29, 6pm at the Batey Urbano, preceded by a press conference at 5:30 pm. Save the date!
For more information or to schedule an interview with artist Antonio Martorell or a representative from one of the sponsoring organizations, please contact Laura Ruth Johnson at (773) 505-2490 or laurarj@boricuahumanrights.org.
WE CAN HELP FREE OSCAR LÓPEZ RIVERA!
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Vincentian Service Day Volunteers Help Vida/SIDA
On Saturday, May 5, 12 students from DePaul University volunteered at Vida/SIDA as part of Vincentian Service Day. Vincentian Service Day is done once a year in which all DePaul students are encouraged to sign-up to do service at a multitude of non-profits in different Chicago neighborhoods. They packaged condoms and helped clean the program's back lot. 
Afterwards, Yesenia Villalobos, a volunteer, and also a Batey collective member, was able to take the students to the 31 Days for 31 Years installation. Overall the day was spent doing service and introducing a group of students to the Humboldt Park - Paseo Boricua community.
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PRCC Licensed Childcare Serves 50 Children 15 months to 6 years
Apply Now for Your Child!
Centro Infantil Consuelo Lee Corretjer, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center's Childcare, is now fully licensed by the Illinois Department of Family Services to service 50 children, ages 15 months to 6 years old. This increases the PRCC's capacity to serve more infant and toddlers in our community.
Founded in 1980, the Consuelo Lee Corretjer Day Care Center is a full day bilingual program offering quality childcare services for children 15 months to 5-years-of-age. The Center was founded in response to the need for bilingual-bicultural programs in the community. We place special emphasis on Puerto Rican, Mexican and Latin American cultures. The program is designed to help ease the child's transition to elementary school and aims to provide services primarily to working and student's families.
We offer:
* Full day care for children 15 months to 3 years
* Full day Head Start for children 3 to 5 years in collaboration with El Valor
* Research based curriculum
* Family involvement
* Nutritional Meals
* Parent workshops
WE ACCEPT:
* Action for Children
* DCFS
* Private slots are available
Required Forms and Documents:
* Admission application
* Statement of Earnings
* Child's current physical examination signed by physician
* Copy of child's birth certificate
* Copy of child's social security card
* Dental examination
For more info contact Xóchitl Ramírez at: xochitlr@prcc-chgo.org
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