HUMBOLDT PARK, CHICAGO- Roberto Clemente Community Academy, which only last month celebrated its own 40th anniversary, has partnered with the UIC Latin American & Latino Studies (LALS) Program to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Community groups and leaders who were involved in the creation of LALS, together with current students, faculty and staff are busy preparing a 2 week celebration (schedule below).

November Chicago Magazine "Why José López Stands Between Gentrification and Humboldt Park"

Be sure to pick up the November issue of Chicago Magazine, which features an interview by Puerto Rican Cultural Center ED José E. López conducted by Elly Fishman.

Chicago, IL - October 1, 2014- hosts the 13th Annual Haunted Paseo Boricua on Friday, October 31st in the Humboldt Park neighborhood along Division Street from Western to California, between the giant Paseo Boricua Gateway Flag monuments. The festivities begin at 4:00pm and go until 7:30pm. Admission is free and open to the public. We provide a safe space for hundreds of families to enjoy the Halloween festivities, trick or treating and have plenty of fun. 

This year's festival includes over dozen of "halloweenesque" stations inspired by the carnival circus theme infused with a bit of Puerto Rican culture such as: a Haunted Casita, Scary Graveyard, Spooky Dancing & Thriller Stations, Healthy Treats Station, and the infamous and devilish Puerto Rican VEJIGANTE Station. 

This is the second year that Haunted Paseo launches the initiative " Healthy Treats for Healthier Kids" a campaign to inform children and their families about moderation and healthier snacks choices. We encourage our businesses to offer alternatives to candy in order to help prevent diabetes and obesity among our youth and in our community.

This event is being co-sponsored by: Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos H.S., West Town Bikes/Ciclo Urbano (Boys & Girls Bike Club), AfriCaribe Cultural Center, The Puerto Rican Cultural Center, Batey Urbano, Roberto Clemente High School, Muevete - Diabetes Empowerment Center, VIDA SIDA, The Chicago Park District, Alderman Roberto Maldonado (26th Ward), Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation, and The Greater Humboldt Park Community of Wellness.  

Visit: www.paseoboricua.org

Find us on Facebook:Haunted Paseo

or Flickr: Haunted Paseo 2012

The week of October 20-24th, ten students from Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, Iowa, are spending their fall break on Paseo Boricua. As part of this alternative break experience, Grinnell College students are working with staff and students at Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School (PACHS) and staff at Vida/SIDA. Specific activities include: assisting PACHS students with their personal statements for college applications; providing information to PACHS students about college life and academic work; helping to decorate Division Street for Haunted Paseo; and supporting the HIV work of Vida/SIDA. Grinnell College students spent Monday the 20th touring Paseo Boricua and are also attending some community events throughout the week. The Alt Fall Break was planned and coordinated by Grinnell College student leaders, Danette Sokacich, Vice Principal of PACHS, and Dr. Laura Ruth Johnson, an alumna of Grinnell College and volunteer at PACHS.

As the date for the Marketplace's Open Enrollment Period approaches (November 15), the PRCC's Affordable Care Act staff has been hard at work. Our Navigators have been revisiting previous partners, such as Alderman Roberto Maldonado, the Burbank Unemployment Office, the Logan Square Library, and the Grito Desesperado Shelter. The ACA team has also started developing new partnerships with places such as the Diversey Unemployment Office, the Irving Park Pantry, and the Humboldt Park Library. So far, people's response has been amazing and we hope that Year 2 will be even better. 

 Centro Infantil went to Goebbert's pumpkin patch and they had a blast! They went into a corn pit and the kids enjoyed it a lot, they liked the fact that they sunk in it and it was a little bit of a challenge for them to run in it. They also went to a petting zoo and some of the kids were scared to touch the animals, but once they seen other kids do it they wanted to try it also. Some of them got over their fear of touching animals they never touched before. The best part for them was actually picking their own pumpkins to take home and decorate them. Centro Infantil staff and students would like to thank Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch for letting us take a field trip to there wonderful establishment. 

El Rescate would like to acknowledge the services provided by Dr. Yasser Elseweifi from Bucktown Dental Associates. When dentists in the community declined her service, he graciously accepted the challenge and immediately said yes, without any barriers to help someone in need. Dr. Elseweifi has has not only helped boost its residents self confidence, but he has giving back her smile. "On behalf of everyone at El Rescate, we thank you for generosity, your time and your willingness to help our youth." - Zenaida López, Sr. Case Manager, El Rescate 

A big thank you to KT for allowing us to use her photos. Keep smiling! 

(Students at Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School compete in monthly "Attendance Challenges" by supporting each other in their PANA groups (Peers Advising to New Achievements). Following are comments by a student who earned a place on September's prize-winning adventure trip, which went to the Jayuya Pana, with an attendance rate of 90.5%.)

Students who won the school's September Attendance Challenge, by earning highest percentage for on-time daily attendance, won tickets to go to the United Center on October 6th  to cheer the Chicago Bulls against the Washington Wizards. We started by taking photos in front of the Michael Jordan statue. After we took our seats, we watched players shooting on the court. The whole time watching, I was thinking about how our team at Albizu Campos compares with the Chicago Bulls. The Albizu Campos team thrives on defense, just like the Bulls. As I watched, I was thinking about leading our own team through the upcoming season. Then the lights went out and it was silent. After we gave the "Power Clap,"  it was Game Time! Highlights of the game included every basket by Derrick Rose, who came back from a two-year injury to prove himself. After the first quarter, the spotlight was on us, when the huge "Mini-Tron" display showed students from our school with signs in the air. The best moment was during half-time, when our school was acknowledged and welcomed to the "Mad-House on Madison," with our school name in lights, broadcast to the 21,000 people in the arena and across the nation.

I was one of the twelve students who attended the Definite Dozen breakfast this morning. I knew I was invited for a reason. The twelve of us, including Matt (Principal Matthew Rodriguez) walked to Nelly's for breakfast. When we got there, Mr. Marvin Garcia, President of our schools Board of Directors, walked in as a humble man and said, "Let's eat first, I'm sure we're all hungry." Afterward, we got into a circle where Matt gave everyone, including myself, a reason for our recognition. I was proud of myself to hear what some staff had to say about me.

            We all introduced ourselves to Mr. Marvin Garcia, as he did the same. He asked a question that seemed simple, "Do you belong here?" At first, I thought,  "Duhhh, I got invited." But after thinking about it, I said to myself, "Yes, of course I belong here. I'm here for a reason and only time can tell. I've been through some things some couldn't even imagine and I'm still standing here today." I told myself, "I deserve this and any good that comes my way."

     What I want to say to the school community is that, breakfast with the President of our school's Board of Directors was very important to me. It was that extra step closer to what I want to achieve. That's success. I believe we all deserve success. I don't wish failure on my worse enemy. And for that, I challenge every friend, acquaintance, stranger, or even hater of mine to take that extra step. Jump out of your comfort zone and truly be the best that you can be. What I'm trying to say is if I can take my J's off, throw some make up on, and look presentable, so can you. I belong here. I believe I belong any place I step my foot in because I'm no less of a human than any of you are. If I can do it, you can do it too.

Tickets to Julia De Burgos: Child of Water are $15-$20 and can be purchased online at www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org, by phone at 312-239-8783, via email at reservations@urbantheaterchicago.org, or in person at the Box Office (the day of, an hour before performance), located at National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture at 3015 West Division Street, Chicago, Illinois 60622.

UrbanTheater Company (UTC) is excited to announce the opening of its Season 9 with the Midwest Premiere of Puerto Rican playwright, Carmen Rivera's, Julia De Burgos: Child of Water, directed by Juan Castañeda (First Class, Devil Land, Hermanas Padilla). Last February, UTC was honored to participate in a unified event spanning four major cities, in a choral reading ofJulia De Burgos: Child of Waterto celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth and memory of the iconic Latin American lyric poet. Most recently, UTC forged an incredible partnership with the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (NMPRAC), formerly known as Institute of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture (IPRAC), in Humboldt Park, and is bringing the play to life with a full production inside the museum's performance space. The NMPRAC has come on board as the main sponsor of Julia De Burgos: Child of Water. UTC and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) have also nurtured an important ongoing partnership and for this production they have come on board as a co-sponsor. At the close of last season, UTC produced Cándido Rivera's (spouse of the playwright) play, First Class, and had the opportunity to remount it for Theater on the Lake. UTC now celebrates the opportunity to produce one of Carmen's plays, especially one about Julia De Burgos, the premier poet of Puerto Rico, a journalist, and independentista as well as internationalist, and one of the most prominent national Latina poets of our history.