Roberto Clemente High School Awarded IB Candidate School Status!

Roberto Clemente Community Academy is formally recognized as an IB Candidate School by the International Baccalaureate Organization for the Diploma Programme and Middle Years Programme as of 01 September 2013.  This marks the beginning of a two-year journey toward full authorization as an IB World School, during which time the staff will train extensively and begin implementing the Middle Years Programme curriculum.  IB World Schools share a common philosophy-a commitment to high quality, challenging, international education that Roberto Clemente Community Academy believes is important for all students.

 

The University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research's (UChicago CCSR) report, Working to My Potential: The Postsecondary Experiences of CPS Students in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme which was awarded the Division H Outstanding Publication Award in the Educational Program Evaluation category by the American Educational Research Association (AERA), found that students in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme are 40 percent more likely to attend four-year colleges and 50 percent more likely to attend more selective colleges than a matched comparison group.  In addition, these students are significantly more likely to persist in four-year colleges for two years. 

 

Incoming freshmen (class of 2017) will be the first class eligible for the full IB curriculum and authorized Diploma Programme.  A few spaces are still available for the first honors cohort next fall - call (773) 534-4007 to apply.

 

For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit http://www.ibo.org

To learn more about Roberto Clemente Community Academy, visit http://www.rccachicago.org

 

This past Friday, May 10th the PRCC opened its weekly Farmers Market on Paseo Boricua. Many people stopped by to purchase oranges, bananas, mangos, peppers and many other fruits and vegetables. Through this initiative the PRCC seeks to provide a place for Humboldt Park community residents to acquire fresh produce. The Farmer's Market takes places Fridays and Saturdays in conjunction with El Rescate's Rummage Sale. The Rummage Sale is a fundraising effort of El Rescate, Vida Sida's Transitional Housing Program.

On behalf of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, National Boricua Human Rights Network, and Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to Jaime and Lucy Delgado and the Cordero family on the loss of their nephew, Alberto Cordero Jr.

Brunilda E. García, writer, actress, cultural admi-nistrator, director of the group Theatrical-Musical Cimarrón, producer of the radio program Canta Pueblo, art worker who has contributed to the culture of Puerto Rico, who has given so very much to our Homeland, needs us right now. As many of you know, she needs someone to donate a kidney, and needs it now, without delay. Help us find one for her. Time is running out.

 

How can you help? Let all your friends and family know about this link created by AMIGOS DE BRUNI (Friends of Bruni), where you will find all the necessary information for anyone who wants to give Bruni the gift of live, donating a kidney.  

 

Brunilda E. García, escritora, actriz, gestora cultural, directora del grupo Teatral-Musical Cimarrón, productora del programa radial Canta Pueblo, obrera del arte que ha contribuido a la cultura de Puerto Rico, esa que tanto ha dado por nuestra Patria, en estos momentos necesita de todos nosotros. Como muchos de ustedes conocen, ella necesita un donante de riñón y tiene que ser ya, sin demora.  Ayúdanos a encontrar uno para ella. Se nos agota el tiempo.   

 

Como puedes ayudar?  Pues pasando a todos tus familiares y amigos el siguiente enlace creado por los AMIGOS DE BRUNI donde se ofrece toda la información necesaria para quien desee hacerle un regalo de vida a Brunilda, la donación de un riñón.

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amigos-de-Bruni/269922716471432

 

Ayudanos a divulgar este justo reclamo de amor y vida.

 

 

 

 

 

We are proud recipients of United Way contributions 

Do you qualify for rental assistance?

• Homeless?
• About to be homeless?
• Falling behind in rent?
• Need a security deposit and first month's rent?

Eligibility for Assistance:

• Resident of Humboldt Park or Logan Square
• Seeking housing in the Humboldt Park and Logan Square community
• Behind on rent

For more information, please contact Melissa Rodríguez at 773.227.7794.

Juan "Nito" Morales Receives NEIU Latina/o & Latin American Leadership Award

Congratulations! to the staff and students of Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School for successfully presenting at the AERA conference in San Francisco.  With the assistance and participation of professors and a graduate student, they presented a workshop entitled "To Live and Help to Live: Critical Pedagogy and Social Justice Education in Chicago's Humboldt Park Community."  

 

-Special recognition to Northern Illinois University professor, Dr. Laura Johnson and Dr. Enid Rosario, University of Michigan, who co-chaired the presentation and raised funds for the trip.

-Participating PACHS staff and students, Elizabeth Hoffman, Judith Diaz, Matthew Rodriguez, Diamond Montana, Celia Alvarado and Amber Rodriguez.

 

PACHS web site  http://www.pedroalbizucamposhs.org/

 The Puerto Rican Cultural Center- Vida/SIDA is one of several organizations nationwide to receive funding from Be the Generation Bridge to help increase awareness and knowledge of biomedical HIV prevention research, which includes HIV vaccines, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), microbicides, and many others.

 

The fight to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in our community involves many different steps. If we want to help people who are HIV positive become healthy, we must consider all the barriers and obstacles between them and the resources or help they need. HIV treatment requires for people to first get tested and receive a HIV diagnosis. Then those individuals who are HIV positive should be linked or connected to medical care, information, and resources.

Treatment Cascade Waterfall

Treating HIV is a long commitment and people need to stay in care to benefit from having a doctor monitor their health. When individuals stay in medical care, they are prescribed HIV medication like Antiretroviral treatment.  Taking medications every day for HIV can be challenging, but individuals who are adherent and take all their medications can see their HIV viral load drop to low or undetectable levels.  That will ensure a long and healthy life for HIV positive people and their sexual partners. However, each of these steps means new challenges for HIV individuals and their health providers.

 

There is ongoing research to understand the barriers that people experience at each step of the treatment cascade.  This video gives a great explanation of what the treatment cascade is and why it is important for HIV prevention.

Roberto Clemente Bike Shop Opens!

 

On Wednesday, May 15, the Roberto Clemente High School Bike Club and Shop will officially open. Students from the after school program at West Town Bikes and Union League Boys and Girls club at Clemente built the bike shop from scratch. The Bike Shop will be open every Wednesday beginning at 2pm. A complete set of tools and mechanic stands are available for students and staff to make repairs. There are also bikes available for a small donation in order to support the bike shop. For more information, contact lebster@westtownbikes.org.

The Paseo Boricua Gateway flags will get a new coat of paint this spring. Alderman Roberto Maldonado (26th Ward) and the Chicago Department of Transportation have made the necessary arrangements for the new coat of paint right before the Puerto Rican Parade this June. The Gateway flags will adorn a bright red and pale blue color once again. When these monuments where built in 1995, they where made to require very little maintenance and only need a fresh coat of paint every 15 years. The last time they were painted was 18 years ago when they were first built. This will be the first part of a streetscape improvement that will include a new dedicatory medallion on the flag located on Mozart and Division Street, as well as, repaving the sidewalks along Paseo Boricua.

On Monday, May 6, the PRCC confirmed that 20 people will participate in the Eco-Cultural Tour of Puerto Rico between June 6th and 11th during the Jibaro Music Festival in Comerio dedicated to the Puerto Rican Cultural Center and Oscar López Rivera. The group reflects a very broad multi-generational sector of our community. Congressman Luis Gutiérrez has been invited by the Mayor of Comerio and President of the Puerto Rican Mayor's Association, Josean Santiago, to partake in the closing ceremonies of the festival. This tour promises to be a truly cultural and ecological immersion experience for the participants. It is one that we will hope to continue to organize on a continuing basis. Anyone who is interested in still participating in the tour between June 6th to 11th without the round trip tickets, please contact Militza M. Pagán at militzap@prcc-chgo.org or 773-227-7794 by May 17. See ad below.

The CIRILO W. MEIJERS Comerio Cultural Center has dedicated its 33rd FESTIVAL JIBARO COMERIEÑO (June 7-9) to the Puerto Rican community of Chicago, represented by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center Juan Antonio Corretjer of Chicago. In addition, they recognize that the tribute would not be complete without dedicating the festival also to Oscar López Rivera. In this spirit they have organized a "Committee to Free Oscar", which has already published a call urging the townspeople to become involved in the campaign to free Puerto Rico's longest held political prisoner.

The National Boricua Human Rights Network will be opening an online store in time for the Peoples Parade in June. It will have "Oscar López Rivera: Between Torture and Resistance", the CD collection of songs authored by some of Puerto Rico's most well-known singer-songwriters is also available for sale. "La Vida Es Lucha Toda" tributo a Oscar López Rivera features Roy Brown and Zoraida Santiago, Tony Mapeyé, Lucecita Benítez and Haciendo Punto en Otro Son.

The book is available for $15.95 plus s/h and the CD for $12 plus s/h. The classic Oscar T-shirt (image left), are $10 each, plus shipping and handling, and is available in various sizes. The button (same image) is $1. 

 

To get your copy, contact alejandrom@boricuahumanrights.org. Each copy is $15.95 plus shipping & handling. The Oscar CD is also available and costs $12 plus s/h. 

From Carolina to San Sebastián and from  San Sebastián to... Chicago! Those are the continental jumps of the exhibition "Urban Caricatures/Caricatura urbana", by the artist Miguel Bayón.

Last night the House of Representatives approved Resolution 359, asking the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, for the release of political prisoner Oscar López Rivera, who on May 29 will have served 32 years of imprisonment on his 70 year sentence.

 

"In the face of 32 years of excessive imprisonment, it's time for President Obama to grant Oscar's physical freedom so he can return to the bosom of his home and his homeland," said Luis Vega Ramos, one of the authors of the resolution. "In spite of his irreproachable behavior for the past 30 years, and the multiple requests of the Puerto Rican community and the international community for his release, the Parole Commission rejected the possibility of his release," affirmed the Representative.

 

Vega Ramos recalled that López turned down the possibility of conditional commutation offered to him during President Bill Clinton's administration, in solidarity with his compatriots, Puerto Rican prisoners Haydée Beltrán and Carlos Torres, who were not included in the commutations. Today both are no longer imprisoned.

 

The Puerto Rican, veteran of the Vietnam War and decorated for his courage in combat, was arrested in 1981 as a result of his struggle in defense of Puerto Rican rights and affirmation.

 

During President Clinton's Administration, pardons were granted to the majority of the Puerto Rican prisoners, who at the time had served around 20 years in prison.

 

"The President of the United States, Barack Obama, has expressed a deep commitment to human rights and equality of all inhabitants of the Earth. This being the case, we are all in consensus in our demand for Oscar López Rivera's release," said Vega Ramos, who added that he will keep active in the various civic efforts to win the freedom of his compatriot.

 

Representatives Carlos Johnny Méndez Núnez from the PNP delegation and Carlos Bianchi also authored and co-authored the resolution. The resolution was approved by a vote of 28 to 16.

 

 

A delegation of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center joined with hundreds to welcome Eduardo Galeano to Chicago on May 12, 2013.  Eduardo Galeano is touring the United States to promote his new book, Children of the Days: A Calendar of Human History. Eduardo Galeano is the Uruguayan author of the three-volume Memory of Fire and Open Veins of Latin America, the book Hugo Chavez presented to Barak Obama in 2009. The book, from which he read excerpts, consists of pithy, poignant, and often very funny vignettes, one for each day of the year. Eduardo Galeano read a number of these stories at Sunday's program, many of which had the crowd laughing in appreciation.  Although each passage is distinct, they are all marked by a profound humanitarianism and sharp political analysis.

CURA 2 Study Highlighted at CPHHD Conference in Boston

 

32 Days for 32 Years

April 28-May 29, Batey Urbano, 2620 W. Division

 

Mercado del Paseo Boricua Farmer'sMarket

El Rescate Rummage Sale

(EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY)

Saturday May 11th 10am-3pm, 2628 W. Division St.

 

Supperclub Dinner Fundraiser for Batey Youth to go on Puerto Rico Eco-Tour Trip

Thursday, May 23rd at 7:30pm

Tickets: $75

Contact: mayrae@prcc-chgo.org

 

32 Days for 32 Years Closing Event

Wednesday, May 29th 6pm, 

Casa Puertorriqueña, 1237 N. California        

 

College Pipeline and BACCA Culminating Event

Friday, May 31st 6pm, Batey Urbano, 2620 W. Division

 

Puerto Rican Agenda Meeting, Special Guest: Representative from Puerto Rican Studies Center at Hunter College

Saturday, June 1st 9am-11:30am, IPRAC, 3015 W. Division

 

Puerto Rico Eco-Tour Trip,

SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE!

Contact: militzap@prcc-chgo.org

 

Puerto Rican People's Parade Dignitaries Event honoring San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto

Friday, June 14th 6pm, IPRAC, 3015 W. Division

 

Puerto Rican People's Parade

Saturday, June 15th

Humboldt Park Lullaby Parade

Photo by CB Lindsey

On May 10th, West Town Bikes and other community members participated in an evening Lullaby Parade in Humboldt Park. The event was organized by Opera-Matic. The parade drew on themes of migration and the history of Humboldt Park, as well as lullabies, which were sung in English and Spanish by participants and performers alike as they march in the light parade.

 

 

Photo by CB Lindsey

 

Other attractions along the parade route included "Lull-A-Bikes" - bicycle floats built by artists and West Town Bikes staff. These included the Coqui Bikes that were built by students in the West Town Bikes program that were leading the parade with sound of "El Yunque" and coquis. The sounds made the Coqui Bikes come alive and established the Puerto Rican culture present in this event.