Father Ra�l Morales Berrios of the di�cesis of Caguas will celebrate the legendary misa jibara's 6th anniversary. This year, as in the past, Misa Jibara will inaugurate Fiesta Boricua. It is expected that hundreds will join this maximum expression of Puerto Rican spirituality.  For the first time, the church's musical group will accompany Father Ra�l.

This magnificent group realized a tremendous effort in raisin funds in order to pay their own trip here to share the spiritual experience so rooted in our traditions, with our community.

The Noche J�bara/Guayabera Gala has been held annually as the gala night to usher in Fiesta Boricua. This event seeks to honor the invited town from Puerto Rico showcasing the theme "Lo Mejor de Nuestros Pueblos"- San Lorenzo for 2014. This year it will be the municipality of San Lorenzo. Additionally, we have added a new theme to this year's 21st Fiesta Boricua, "Lo Mejor de Nuestros Barrios" and, to represent that, we have selected The Bronx, New York.

The Gala will be held in the courtyard of the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, located at 3015 W. Division St. For a $50 donation, participants will be able to enjoy Puerto Rican food, live music and two drinks.

San Lorenzo Will Represent "Lo Mejor de Nuestros Pueblos"

The municipality of San Lorenzo, which has a population of 41,000 residents and is located in the eastern center part of Puerto Rico, was selected to represent the 21st Fiesta Boricua theme "Lo Mejor de Nuestros Pueblos". Geographically, it is comprised of 10 barrios (districts). Its bountiful hospitality has earned it the recognition as the town of "El Buen Samaritano" (The Good Samaritan). A delegation from San Lorenzo, headed by its mayor, the honorable Jos� "Joe" Rom�n Abreu, will be honored at Noche J�bara. Mayor Rom�n Abreu has instituted a creative participatory democracy project to address the municipalities' socio-economic problems entitled "Revoluci�n Social".

During the Gala, two of the town's most outstanding musical groups, Tr�o Rafaelito Mu�oz and Conjunto T�pico Decimania, will provide live musical entertainment. A sampling of the town's artisanry will be on display and for sale.

The Bronx Will Represent "Lo Mejor de Nuestros Barrios"

The Bronx, New York is often associated with the promise and challenges of the Puerto Rican Diaspora. Some of New York's most prominent Puerto Rican personalities have come from The Bronx including the creators of Puerto Rican Salsa, as well as other cultural icons.

This year's Fiesta Boricua will feature Herman Olivera "... considered by many as one of the very few soneros left in the true salsa genre", a highly talented singer who has accompanied the likes of the legendary Eddie Palmieri. He will be accompanied by The Bronx's very own Giovanni "Yova" Rodr�guez.

A delegation from the Bronx, including the Latino political pioneer State Assemblyman Jos� Rivera, will represent "Lo Mejor de Nuestros Barrios" theme of the 21st Fiesta Boricua.

1. The Puerto Rican Cultural Center needs you to be part of Team Vida/SIDA this year.

    

   The online registration for the 2014 AIDS Run and Walk is open.

    

   Our team, Vida/SIDA is live and we are feeling pretty lonely since we are the only ones registered so far.

    

   Register now and start fundraising!  The following the registration link:

    

   2014 AIDS Run & Walk

    

   After you click the website link above, click the tab labeled REGISTER, then search for team Vida/SIDA and follow the registration instructions.

Centro Infantil went on a field trip to the dentist to get their beautiful smiles brightened just a little bit more. They were excited to go the dentist's office because they always see the dentists come to their school and have never gone inside and explored with all their friends. They were anxious to see what the office looked like and more excited when they left the dentist having received little surprises.
 

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

El Rescate would like to extend a heart felt thank you to Hector M. Perez and Betty Guevara of the Boys & Girls Club of Humboldt for their generous donations. They donated enough backpacks for all our residents filled with school supplies, which will go to those enrolled in high school and/or college. "It's beautiful to see our community come together to ensure our residents are well prepared for school. We're all very grateful and appreciate your kind gesture" says Ivan Vega, Program Coordinator/Case Manager at El Rescate. 

El Rescate is an independent living program for homeless LGBTQ youth between the age of 18-24 who want to regain their Independence. If you wish to donate or are interested in contributing to El Rescate, please contact Jackie Gonzalez, program director at: jackieg@prcc-chgo.org or call (872) 829-2662. 

Don't miss the Chicago Premiere of "Clemente: The Legend of 21" opening August 22 and running through September 14 at Stage773, 1225 W. Belmont. 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. NightBlue Performing Arts Company in partnership with New Yorks ArtoCarpus proudly presents "Clemente: The Legend of 21" August 22 through September 14 at Stage773 located at 1225 W. Belmont. For Tickets call 773-327-5252 or visit www.Stage773.com

Discount Code: El Beisbol"

$5 off

Por: Natalia Ramos Malav�

El reconocido escritor puertorrique�o, Eduardo Lalo, reiter� su reclam� por la liberaci�n del boricua Oscar L�pez Rivera; encarcelado en una prisi�n estadounidense hace 33 a�os.

El autor de varios libros de textos  hizo estas expresiones durante una disertaci�n,  en la Vig�sima S�ptima Lecci�n Inaugural de la Facultad de Estudios Generales de la Universidad de Puerto Rico (UPR).

"Por ello en un lugar como �ste,  donde pervive la memoria de nuestro pueblo,  aprovecho la oportunidad de que me dirijo a ustedes,  para reclamar una vez m�s la liberaci�n de Oscar L�pez Rivera, que lleva m�s de 33 a�os en una prisi�n en Estados Unidos",  se�al� el dramaturgo de "Simone",  novela ganadora del Premio R�mulo Gallegos 2013.

Este galard�n es uno de car�cter internacional y se concede en Venezuela,  Argentina,  Colombia, Espa�a, M�xico, Chile y Per�.

Al insistir en su petici�n,  Lalo emplaz� al Rector del Recinto de R�o Piedras (RRP),  Carlos Severino Vald�z, y al claustro de esa instituci�n, para que den el primer paso y sean ejemplo a seguir de otras universidades p�blicas y privadas.

 "No estar�a as� la UPR se�alando el camino para que otras instituciones,  privadas y p�blicas,  contribuyan a liberar a un hombre inmerecidamente castigado. Y  para mostrar que la valent�a institucional debe ser parte de la vida institucional. No se encuentra aqu� tambi�n el liderato �tico que deber�a ejercer nuestra instituci�n",  expres� el tambi�n autor de varios libros de texto y novelas",  enfatiz� Lalo.

"Me pregunto si no ser� una de las funciones de esta Universidad,  la de unirse clara y abiertamente a la campa�a en favor de la excarcelaci�n de alguien que ha sacrificado su vida por la existencia cultural y pol�tica de Puerto Rico", cuestion�.

Lalo sostuvo que el gobierno de Estados Unidos y su presidente Barack Obama,  han ignorado "entre otras, el clamor masivo y general  de los puertorrique�os y de much�simos ciudadanos de todo el mundo,  que exigen  el t�rmino de la injusticia que se comete con Oscar".

El tambi�n profesor de la UPR,  insisti� que al final,  la verdad siempre triunfa cuando se�al� que "el coloniaje siembra interrogantes y  ofrece siempre la oportunidad de rehacer el territorio".  A pesar de ello,  "la historia permite descubrir a los responsables y se desestabilizan  as�  las ambiciones de impunidad de la historia oficial e impuesta",  apunt�.

Con su novela "Simone",  este importante acad�mico sac� a Puerto Rico de la invisibilidad internacional,  trayendo un nuevo aire de reconocimiento mundial.  

El merecido galard�n R�mulo Gallegos fue  entregado en 2013 por el Presidente de la Rep�blica Bolivariana de Venezuela,  Nicol�s Maduro.

Lalo es autor de "Ciudades e Islas" (1995), "La inutilidad" (2003) "Los Pa�ses Invisibles" (2008),  "El Deseo del L�piz" (2010) y "Necr�polis" (2014);  entre otras.

El profesor Eduardo Lalo, lleva 27 a�os dedicados a la ense�anza en el Departamento de Humanidades,  de la Facultad de Estudios Generales de la UPR-RP.