On Thursday, August 29th at the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (IPRAC), over 150 people attended a special award ceremony held by Hunter College's Center for Puerto Rican Studies honoring 16 Puerto Ricans that have made a difference in the Chicago community. The awards were presented by the Center for Puerto Rican Studies' Director, Edwin Meléndez. The lives of Chicago Puerto Ricans involved in the arts, education, communications, public service and other sectors were highlighted. These Puerto Rican pioneers included Dr. Aida Giachello, Ray Rubio, Hilda Frontany, Ada López, Roberto "Bob" Medina and Dr. Jose E. López among others.  The night showcased the enormous amount of dedication of many who worked diligently and tirelessly to transform the Puerto Rican community in Chicago and the United States. 

On Friday, August 30, over 225 people attended the Gala celebrating the PRCC's 40th Anniversary at the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. While the event was delayed for an hour due to rain, the event ended a great success. In attendance was a delegation of 80 people from Jayuya and Comerio, Puerto Rico. The night showcased the talent of Jayuya, Puerto Rico. Jayuya's Banda Indigena, an indigenous dance group, and Grupo Tipico Armonia Cultural performed. Both the Mayor of Jayuya,  the Hon. Jorge "Georgie" González and the President of Jayuya's Municipal Assembly, Francisco Torres-Pagán were honored by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center and Alderman Roberto Maldonado. The PRCC was presented with a large Puerto Rican flag as well as the Jayuya emblem. A resolution calling for the release of the Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López Rivera was also read.

The 4th annual Misa Jibara took place this past Saturday, August 31st at Fiesta Boricua. Unlike other years, this year's Misa Jibara took place at the main stage of California and Division raising its importance in Fiesta Boricua. At a Misa Jibara, those who convey the church's message are not the priests but rather a traditional "jibaro" musical group. This year Misa Jibara was organized by the municipal of Jayuya, Puerto Rico. The stage was decorated with a beautiful painting of the Virgin of Monserrate and featured young ladies dressed in traditional Puerto Rican outfits. It also included music performed by Jayuya's musical group, Grupo Tipico Armonia Cultura. Father Raul Morales Berrios, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his ordination, led the mass. 

On Wednesday, August 28th, 2013, CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett and the CPS Board of Directors endorsed the Humboldt Park Community Action Council's Community as a Campus (CAAC) Plan. The CAAC plan will create an educational environment framed within the precepts of the International Baccalaureate academic standards, and transform all the schools within the area with the participation of community and institutional partners. Around 30 people attended the meeting representing various sectors of the community to show the great support this plan has in the Humboldt Park community. These supporters included State Rep. Cynthia Soto, Alderman Joe "Proco" Moreno, Kathleen Oskandy, Alderman Roberto Maldonado's Chief of Staff, Professor José E. López, Executive Director of the PRCC and other PRCC Staff, Marcey Sorensen, Principal of Robert Clemente High School and other Clemente staff, Idida Perez, Executive Director of West Town Leadership United with parents from West Town Leadership United, Humboldt Park Montessori School, Alternative Schools Network, Youth Connection Charter Schools, Cristina Pacione-Zayas from the Latino Policy Forum, CPS representatives, Celena Roldan, Executive Director of Erie Neighborhood House and many others. PRCC Executive Director, Dr. Jose E. López gave a presentation on the CAAC. After his presentation, the CPS CEO Byrd-Bennett and many board members praised the plan. The CPS CEO also announced that Bill Gerstein is now the official liaison to the CPS CEO to the CAAC. He will run the CAAC administrative office. Dr. López also made requests for the Von Humboldt/Duprey building to be reopened as a Lab school for students who learn differently and are going off track. Along with that it was requested the Von Humboldt Child Parent Center be the administrative office of the CAAC. Also an ask was made for a Montessori school be opened at the recently closed Lafayette school building. Lastly, it was requested that the YCCS Charter get a 5-year contract with opportunities to grow. The CPS CEO indicated that she would be willing to discuss these requests.

Cooking Matters staff would like to thank all of the visitors who made their way to our booth, as well as the PRCC and organizers of Fiesta Boricua for this opportunity.  We look forward to a continued presence in and collaboration with this community. For more information about Cooking Matters or to host a six-week Cooking Matters Class please contact Lilah Handler at lhandler@ilmaternal.org or 312/491-8161 ext 23.  For Spanish speakers please contact Lolita López at llopez@ilmaternal.org or 312/491-8161 ext 27.

This past weekend we celebrated the 20th anniversary of Fiesta Boricua. We had great artists, performers, and vendors come to share and celebrate our culture. However, we also worked on a campaign to create awareness and help change an issue that has affected our community in many ways. We worked on an Anti-Underage Drinking campaign to combat the issue of alcoholism as it pertains to our youth. We want to change the way our youth think about drinking and how our community supports this by buying liquor for minors. We spoke to liquor stores in our community and they agreed to let us place stickers on the refrigerators and some liquor bottles to reach out to adults who were purchasing liquor for minors. These liquor stores were La Municipal, Yauco, and Borinken Food and Liquor. Also, to reach out to the youth, we made shirts that read "You Only Live Once, So Don't Let it Get Wasted". We chose this slogan because Y.O.L.O, which means you only live once, is a really popular phrase for our youth now. However, the youth connect this popular motto to partying and drinking. 

Therefore, we thought we'd give it a different perspective. Shirts were thrown out free at the Batey stage at Fiesta and they were a big hit. Some youth, as shown, were wearing them the same day. We're really hoping that this initiative has an impact on our future generation.

This presence was made possible through funding from the Illinois Department of Human Services.

The Paseo Boricua Farmers Market will be open every Friday and Saturday this summer. Through this initiative, the PRCC seeks to provide a place for Humboldt Park residents to acquire fresh produce.

Locally grown chemically free produce grown by our very own Humboldt Park youth is available!

The Farmer's Market takes places on Fridays from 2pm-7pm and Saturdays from 10am-3pm at 2628 W. Division St.

La aplicación del delito de conspiración sediciosa en el mundo, y particularmente a puertorriqueños independentistas por parte del gobierno de los Estados Unidos, fue motivo de discusión este viernes durante la conferencia "Conspiración sediciosa: el caso de Oscar y Mandela", efectuada en el teatro del Departamento de Estado en el Viejo San Juan.

El tema se desarrolló alrededor de la figura del preso político puertorriqueño Oscar López Rivera, de 70 años, quien ha cumplido 32 años de prisión tras acusársele de conspiración sediciosa para derrocar al gobierno estadounidense.

Se comparó el caso del pepiniano López rivera con el del expresidente sudafricano Nelson Mandela, de 95 años, que estuvo 27 años en la cárcel por el mismo delito. Vease el articulo completo.