On Thursday July 25, more than 250 friends and family of Steve Whitman came together honor his life and legacy and to pay homage to his many contributions to the Puerto Rican community as well as to oppressed communities everywhere. The event, which was held at the NMRAC, was a powerful memorial to an incredible human being whose life touched so many in such profound ways. Steve was a scholar who was truly an organic intellectual, whose scientific and rigorous studies as well as commitment were always focused on serving the most marginalized population. His entire existence, as noted by many of the speakers, was dedicated to ending racism and colonialism. An entire gamut of speakers, spoke about how Steve had touched their lives. These included the following:  

José López, Nancy Kurshan, Rosa Kurshan-Emmer, David Ansell, Jade Dell, Michael Deutsch, Jan Susler, John McKnight, Chela Sproles (SUHI), Alan Channing (Sinai), Lourdes Lugo reading poem by Dona Consuelo Lee Corretjer, Linda Murray, Gordy Schiff, John Stainthorpe reading statement by Flint Taylor, Rupa Shah read remarks from Bindu Desai, Lolita Lopez, Michael Rodriguez, Carolyn Lake sang Bridge Over Troubled Waters and Veronica Ocasio led the tree-planting ceremony.

In his welcoming remarks, José E. López, Executive Director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, pointed to the messages which Cong. Luis V. Gutierrez, State Rep Cynthia Soto and Ald. Roberto Maldonado had sent and were also published in the special edition of the La Voz de Paseo Boricua dedicated to Steve Whitman. (inlcde messages). The program included Puerto Rican dishes from Nellies Restaurant, where Steve spent a great deal of time. Poetry and song and ended with the collective planting of a peach tree in the garden of the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture as a symbol of the communities remembrance of Steve's many contributions to its well being.

A powerful message was delivered by his wife and partner for over 30 years, his soulmate, Nancy Kurshan, (see below) and a moving, funny message by his daughter, Rosa.

Steve's dear friend, John McKnight, wrote to me the other day and said: "Steve was the only person I know who everyone said of him, 'He was my best friend.'" So let me begin by saying that Steve was my best friend and I was his. And so I speak to you today with the most broken of hearts.

Steve came into this world on May 19th, and was always proud that it was the same day as the birthday of Malcolm X, Ho Chi Minh, Lorraine Hansberry, and Augusto Sandino. And he died this past Sunday, July 20th which as his daughter Imani observed, is the birthday of Franz Fanon. All were people he admired deeply, especially Malcolm, who

was his hero and even his screensaver. Steve would never have let us honor him like this when he was alive; he would rather have us organize programs to honor the people he thought were real heroes and

heroines. People like Michael Yasutake, Yuri Kochiyama, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Morton Sobel, Oscar Lopez Rivera, Sundiata Acoli, Madame Binh.

Besides being at least one of Steve's best friends, I speak today as family. And I realize that to be true to Steve, I need to explain what family meant to him. Because to Steve family was an expansive concept. He loved his family of origin-- his parents and his sister Hollis who is here today from NY, and her family. And he took that love of family and went beyond. Steve had 3 very close children, none of them biological. His daughter Imani, the love of his life whom he

loved as much as any father could possibly love a daughter. And my children, Rosa and Michael, whom he raised as his very own. When he was in hospice, all of them were present, having traveled from afar to be with him in the last days. He had two grandchildren, Imani's sons Diallo and Issa, whom he was crazy about. And in addition, his expansive way of loving extended to include our 11 year old neighbor Angel whom

he loved deeply like a grandson.

And as the emails pour in expressing profound grief it becomes clear that many people saw Steve as a father figure or a mentor, because Steve was a wonderful father and by extension a wonderful mentor.

Steve's desire to take care of people, to help them grow, to believe in their potential was at his core. And it extended to children, to people everywhere. He felt we should be as concerned about the children of Palestine as the children of America. As concerned about Black, Mexican and Puerto children as we are about white children. In fact, we

should concentrate our energies on those children who were least fortunate. Edy Rabinowitz, another friend, sent me a quote from a speech she heard Steve give about health disparities. I think it reflects his essence. He said "We have to regard these problems as if it's a problem in our family, as if what we're discussing are our mothers, and our daughters and fathers. . . And we have to fight like hell to change it."

Then, Edy said, he promised the audience that if they bought copies of the report he had written, not only would they become taller, but they would also be able to eat as much chocolate as they wanted without gaining any weight." Steve was very funny. He told great jokes that made all of us laugh.

Meenal Mamdani, another friend, wrote to me that "Steve wore his many achievements so lightly that one remembers him for his playfulness and not for the eminent personality he was." And finally, before I leave the subject of family love, I want to say that Steve loved this entire Puerto Rican community here on Division Street. Yes he did. For Steve this

community was his family. Steve had other emotions besides love. He passionately hated Racism in all its many forms. He thought it needed to be called out over and over, never swept under the table.

Racism, Racism, Racism. There were rare moments when he tempered his remarks so people wouldn't think he was completely crazy. He thought racism needed to be examined relentlessly, but that was not nearly enough. He embraced what Karl Marx said, that "The philosophers have only interpreted the world . . . . The point, however, is

to change it." Steve was an activist, a fighter. He fought with all his being to eliminate health disparities, transform the racist prison system, end police brutality and torture, and free political prisoners such as Oscar Lopez Rivera. Just a month ago, when he was deeply feeling the effects of the cancer, he used his statistician's skills to testify in court for hours in a case of rampant police brutality.

Steve saw the exquisite beauty in being Black, in being Puerto Rican, in being Mexican. And he wanted to help nurture, especially the youth of those communities so that they could let their lights shine not just for their own good, but for the good of us all. For several days this past week I lay next to Steve and tried to comfort him as he left

this world he enjoyed so much. He loved me and cared for me perfectly for 30 years. I tried to do the same. We had only one fight-- the first month we were together he told me that the only other woman he would consider, were she to be interested, was Tina Turner. As a feminist I took it seriously. I made him promise me he was kidding and he did. He said we would grow old together and both put our teeth in glasses next to our bed. Well, neither of us lost our teeth. But now I have lost Steve and my heart is broken. Yet many of you are gifts that I received from him. Those are the real gifts that keep on giving. And how blessed am I to have had his precious, perfect love for 30 years.

The breadth and depth of my love for Steve is indescribable. Searching my mind and heart for words to say today has felt like an impossible task. I know that my words today may be grossly inadequate to describe the vastness of my love for Steve, and our thirty-year-long father-daughter relationship. But I have felt urgently compelled to say something today. So I decided to write to Steve.

Dear Steve,

You always taught me to open with a joke. Sorry, dude, but I couldn't quite muster that today. I do want to say: Thanks for ALL the witty repartee. I'm gonna be like you when I grow up. And has a white man ever lied to you? Yes, many times, but never you, Steve. You spoke truth, always. You walked the talk, always.

Science projects and sweltering soccer games. The car with the hole in the bottom. Hot fudge sundaes at Margie's Candies, so delicious your brains could literally just fall right on the floor. My Cousin Vinny. The Large Chair Plan/List. CEML meetings in the living room at Newport. Index cards. Honey Nut Cheerios for dinner. Solidarity. Sleeping on the floor with the relief of the air conditioner you bought us.

Demonstrations at Lexington, Marion, Chicago, Washington D.C.: to free political prisoners, to free Palestine, to free Puerto Rico. Visiting Yaki at Dixon. I used to joke around with you that most of our family vacations were demonstrations and prison visits. But sharing these trips with you was more precious than any family vacation could have ever been.

You, me, Michael, Nancy: the only 4 white people at the packed concert: Fresh Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff. I think it was the Aerie Crown Theater circa 1989. I was 13. Their song was "Parents Just Don't Understand." But YOU did understand.

You made us laugh constantly. You were always there for me when I cried. When I was confused, you knew how to calm me down and help me figure shit out. You somehow knew just the right way to support me under all circumstances. You asked for nothing in return. Mellow was your middle name. You epitomized words like humble and selfless.

You repeatedly made it clear that you CHOSE me for your daughter, and that you CHOSE to love and care for me not simply out of obligation but out of a whole-hearted appreciation for the person I am.

When I doubted myself, you lifted me up. You made me believe in myself, in my intellect and in my potential.  

You showed me how to be as human as possible as a white person in this fucked-up world. You showed me what daily manifestation of love really looks like. You showed me how to treat every human being with dignity, except of course for the motherfuckers who choose to use their powers to dehumanize. You showed me what mattered in this life.  

You made my beautiful, perfect mother Nancy glow with joy every day for over thirty years. You fought alongside each other, relentlessly.

You understood profoundly the savage inequalities in this world, and yet you lived every moment with a joy of life. What can I say, you definitely had a certain "je ne sais quoi".

You shared your world of books with me. Morrison, Salinger, Kozol, and on and on.

You have been consistently vocal about your admiration of my years of teaching in East Oakland. Whenever I told you of my frustrations with the problematic Oakland public school system, you, atheist to your core, would adamantly insist to me "You're doing God's work."

You were always on a first-name basis with your heroes: Malcolm, Che, Ho, Oscar, Yuri. And I came to share your admiration for them. I'd like to think that you're sitting around laughing with them somewhere right now. But my hero, Steve, was YOU. You were in the top 99th percentile. On a scale of 1 to 10 you were an easy 11.

I can hear your laugh still. I can hear your crazy sneeze still. And I can hear you saying, "Shut Down Lexington Control Unit. Smash the State. End the Occupation and Free Gaza." But mostly I can just hear you saying, "Ro, I love you so much. All I want is for you to be happy. You're cute as a button."

Thank you for being my friend, comrade and mentor. Thank you for choosing me as your daughter, and thank you for being my father. Fist-bump.

Love,

Your Chica

My dear friend and companera Nancy,  deepest sympathies from our family  to you and Rosa and Michael. The passing of your beloved Steve has touched me profoundly.  I still remember how much both of you, along with Rosa and Michael,  have contributed  in time, in struggle, and unconditional support.  Ustedes eran inseparables e incansansbles.  Lo mas que siempre me impresionaba de ustedes era  la forma tan sencilla y humilde con la que compartian sus vidas con nuestra lucha, especialmente las luchas comunitarias y las campanas de los prisioneros politicos puertorriquenos.  Se que el apoyo y la lucha de ambos ha sido incondicional y se que lo seguira siendo Nancy, pero con un hombro menos - el de tu querido Steve. Su sencillez, su humilde apariencia se echara de menos en las actividades y trabajos comunitarios en los cuales el contribuyo muchisimo.  Personas como Steve no se olvidan con su ausencia porque son y continuaran siendo parte de nuestra historia de lucha.    Hasta siempre Steve.  Y mil gracias por haberme referido al mejor doctor que conoci en Chicago cuando me excarcelaron.   Los queremos mucho,  Alejandrina y familia Torres

   Steve Whitman was a revolutionary, a comrade and my friend. He was a longtime supporter of revolutionary struggles, particularly the struggles by Black and other peoples of color for liberation from u.s. imperialism both here and abroad.

   He was the beloved husband of Nancy Kurshan who is equally a revolutionary and my comrade and friend also. Steve and Nancy were a mighty Duo in struggle - and i was fortunate to collaborate with them on several projects in which we formed a Trio. Much of the prison data and other source material in my political writings came from publications by Steve Whitman and/or Nancy Kurshan.

   Steve tended to avoid the spotlight but was always first to start working on or provide a solution to a problems that needed solving. He often provided crucial aid to those in the struggle, people of color in particular.

   He will be sorely missed by many in myriad ways. May he rest in a well earned Peace.

                                                                                                           Sundiata Acoli

The PRCC is now officially the CPS partner to implement the Safe Passage Initiative. Obviously, the Safe Passage Program seeks to engage parents and make Clemente's grounds a safe and inviting place to explore as well. 25 parents will be hired to work on this endeavor. The Puerto Rican Cultural Center's goals are to insure that the parents' work will also be able to work with the CPS Parent University and benefit from the Parent Peple xx Institute of the Community as a Campus. Clemente parents are invited to apply for these positions. Preferably, applicants should have a high school diploma or equivalent; pass a background check, and enjoy working with others and must demonstrate respect for our youth. For more information, please contact Juan Calderón at juanc@prcc-chgo.org 

On Friday, August 29, 2014 at 6pm, the PRCC will host it's Annual Noche Jíbara (Guayabera Gala to inaugurate the 21st Fiesta Boricua. It will take place at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. The event will honor our guests from San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, representing "Lo Mejor de Nuestros Pueblos" and from the Bronx, New York, representing "Lo Mejor de Nuestros Barrios". It is a semi-formal Guayabera Gala. The costs of $50.00 per person includes a delicious Puerto Rican dinner, 2 complimentary drinks, and live music from San Lorenzo. For more information and tickets, contact Juan Calderón at juanc@prcc-chgo.org

Make this a huge success by helping us identify sponsors at one of the following 4 sponsorship levels: San Lorenzo Platinum Level ($5000), The Bronx Gold Level ($2500), Paseo Boricua Silver Level ($1250) or Noche Jibara Bronze Level ($625)

Every Friday our living skills facilitators will prepare delicious freshly cooked meals to sell for lunch as a fundraising inititive. For orders/information, please contact Jackie Gonzalez at (773) 240-6893 or email her at jackieg@prcc-chgo.org. 

All funds go towards the daily needs of our residents at El Rescate. El Rescate is an independent living program for homeless LGBTQ youth located on Paseo Boricua in Humboldt Park. Thank you in advance for your support! 

El padre Raúl Morales Berrios de la diócesis de Caguas celebrará el sexto año de  la ya legendaria misa jíbara. Este año, como el pasado, la misma inaugurará la Fiesta Boricua. Se espera que centenares se unan a esta máxima expresión de la espiritualidad puertorriqueña. Por primera vez, el grupo musical de su iglesia acompañará al Padre Raúl.

Este magnífico grupo realizó todo un magno esfuerzo para recaudar fondos para compartir con nuestra comunidad esta convivencia espiritual tan enraizada en nuestras tradiciones.

Amazon will now donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases when you shop at AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com). We will reach out to Puerto Rican Cultural Center to ensure it is ready to accept donations from Amazon. Share on Facebook and Twitter- show your friends how they can support the Puerto Rican Cultural Center.

Bookmark and shop now!  http://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-7347778

On Friday, July 25th, , Staff, Business Owners and Friends celebrated 30 years of DSBDA's Community Service on Paseo Boricua. Alderman Roberto Maldonado (26th) and Jose E. Lopez, Director, Puerto Rican Cultural Center-Juan Antonio Corretjer, eloquently spoke of the history of DSBDA, its challenges when the national economic downturn impacted numerous local businesses, as well as of its many successes in promoting business and economic development on Paseo Boricua. A Proclamation was read from Mayor Rahm Emmanuel,  designating July 25th, 2014 , as DSBDA Day.

This year's banquet was held at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. The dinner was catered by Nellie's Restaurant and Music was provided by Humboldt Parks very own "El Monstro". Bomba con Buya thrilled the crowd with a wonderful Bomba performance.

Despite the threat of rain, this year's event was another success. Hundreds of cars and motorcycles lined both sides of Paseo Boricua between Western and California Avenues. As music filled the air, show participants  went about staging and polishing their cars and bikes. Restaurants and food vendors eagerly prepared for the busy day. No one was disappointed. The sunshine made its way through the clouds as hundreds of people came by to "check out" the cars and bikes, take pictures and just enjoy another day on Paseo Boricua.

Experience the legend of Roberto Clemente. Beginning on the day of his death, this heartfelt musical tells the powerful tale of struggle and triumph for one of baseball's greatest players. Facing poverty at an early age, language barriers as a rookie and racism on the field, Clemente rose above it all to make a difference for generations to come. Driven by uplifting Afro-Caribbean beats, this musical celebrates the life of a man who helped so many and was a symbol of inspiration around the world. Baseball is just the beginning. 

Discount Code: El Beisbol"

$5 off

Only one more R.A.W. (Real Aggressive Writing) series left! On Monday, August 11 at 7pm UrbanTheater Company (UTC) presents Carmen Rivera's "The Next Stop" directed by UTC co-founder Marilyn Camacho. For more information visit: www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org    

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the first school in the US to be named after legendary Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, Clemente Community Academy is offering the opportunity to become a part of that history. For a limited time, we will commemorate donations to the Roberto Clemente 40th anniversary fundraiser by adding the names of those who have contributed to the Wall of Fame. This will be a permanent display in our lobby which will highlight the names of all who have given generously  to the celebration. Each brick will carry the name of the person making the donation or one of the below options. The donations will fall into 3 categories, Standard $50, All-Star $100, and MVP $250.

3 pricing options-

* Wall of Fame-$50 donation

* All-Star $100 donation

* MVP $250 donation

 All bricks are bronze with black lettering and border

 Naming options available are :

* Name

* Name and Graduation Year

* Mr & Mrs Name

1. Registering to be a runner or walker in our Team Vida/SIDA or
2. Donate to my page and I will walk on your behalf!

Your participation and donations helps us pay for items that our current funding streams prohibit i.e. toiletries for our LGBTQ or HIV positive transitional living program residents at El Rescate, CTA transit cards for HIV positive clients to attend care and treatment appointments, court expenses for our trans clients to change their name to match their gender expression, etc.

Since Vida/SIDA is a project of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center -a 501c3 charitable organization, your contributions are tax deductible to the extent of IRS regulation.

To donate or sign to our team you can click here :http://events.aidschicago.org/site/TR/RW/RW14?px=1097286&pg=personal&fr_id=1170

Thank you in advance for your consideration to participate and/or contribute to Team Vida/SIDA.