The Division Street Business Development Association (DSBDA) is asking for volunteers for it's annual Three Kings Day Winterfest and Celebration gift wrapping. 

Volunteers NEEDED, all ages! Contact Eduardo Arocho, Executive Director of the DSBDA, at earocho@dsbda.org.

• Thursday, 1/3 10am-4pm
• Friday, 1/4 10am-4pm

Join Us in Celebrating Oscar's 70th Birthday Jan. 6!

 

 

 

 

 

Sign up for La Canasta Básica today!

PRCC Underscores Importance of Healthy Eating

We are proud recipients of United Way contributions 

A young man is kidnapped, taken to an ATM, robbed then beaten to death in Puerto Rico. Adding to this already awful situation, TV host, Antulio "Kobbo" Santarrosa and the life-sized puppet he voices, La Comay, re-victimize publicist José Enrique Gómez Saladín by suggesting that if he allegedly was in an area known for "prostitution and homosexuality," as his killers claim, he may have brought the violence on himself.

 

This was the last straw for many Puerto Ricans, who have had to live with escalating violence for years. Blaming victims is wrong, and most people know that. Chicago's Puerto Rican/Latino & LGBT Communities stand in solidarity with Puerto Rico and will not permit La Comay to continue the promulgation of gossip, hate and insensitive innuendos that further tarnishes the memories of victims whose lives have been lost due to senseless violence. Enough is Enough; racism, homophobia, hate and intolerance will no longer go unchallenged here in Chicago or in Puerto Rico. Let's promote peace for our beloved island, for our communities in the United States and let's continue moving towards a discourse of acceptance. 

On behalf of the staff and the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, I want to extend holiday greetings to all our friends and supporters as well as to wish everyone a new year -2013- filled with struggle and hope. As noted in our 2012 Year-In-Review, this year was indeed, a busy one despite the many economic hardships facing out community. We continue to serve our community, to uplift it, and to provide a sense of hope in a world filled many times with despair.

 

2013 will mark the 40th anniversary of our founding as a community based institution driven by the promise of the self-determination, self-actualization and self-reliance of our people. This coming year, as the Puerto Rican jibaro would say, we will "tirar las puertas por las ventanas" by undertaking a year-long Jornada in celebration of our 4 decades of existence (see below). We will celebrate 4 decades of a legacy of struggle, thus inspiring a community of hope and change.

 

We hope to count on your support. If you wish you can make a monetary donation through Paypal by clicking here. You can also chose to send us a check at the address below.

 

With profound gratitude,

In struggle,

 

José E. López

Executive Director

National Boricua Human Rights Network is honored to announce a panel discussion and book-signing on Between Torture and Resistance , a compilation of letters by Oscar López Rivera, with an introduction by Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Desmond Tutu.

 

When:  Thursday, January 10, 2013. 

At 6:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

Where: Martin Luther King Labor Center (1199 SEIU)

310 West 43rd Street, Manhattan, New York 10036 

 

Panelists include: 

Luis Rosa Pérez, former Puerto Rican political prisoner, playwright. 

Jose López Rivera, Executive Director, Puerto Rican Cultural Center (Chicago, Illinois).

Matt Meyer, International War Resisters League, Author, Human Rights Advocate.  

 

Download the press release here...

(HUFFPOST) This upcoming December 31 will mark the 40 year anniversary of baseball legend Roberto Clemente's death. Despite how long ago it happened, time has not been able to erase the legacy of this figure from the minds and hearts of Nicaraguans.

Throughout his career, Roberto Clemente visited Nicaragua several times as a member of his native Puerto Rico baseball team, quickly building strong relationships with its people. When the Central American country suffered a devastating earthquake in 1972, the player immediately expressed solidarity with victims by shipping supplies and aid.

 

In his last shipment of provisions, and with the intention of ensuring that the cargo would be delivered to its right recipients, Clemente decided to travel and accompanied his crew on a private airplane. It is believed that the plane had been overloaded, resulting in a tragic crash into the ocean minutes after take off.

 

In order to express the high esteem and respect the country continues to feel for the player, the government is currently hard at work to finish in the next couple of days, what will be the known as the new Roberto Clemente baseball stadium for kids in the Luis Alfonso Velasquez public park facility.

With a capacity for 1,200 people and 800 chairs, the stadium will allow more children to play, and visitors will be able to enjoy each game in a comfortable and safe environment.

 Read the entire article here...

 Read on...