CHICAGO AREA ONLY. SORRY. Pork or Vegetarian available. Reserve your delicious pasteles by emailing Diana Castillo: dianac@boricuahumanrights.org. Deadline to order Sun. Nov. 23. Download the form and Order today. 

5 celebratory events bring history, culture community, full circle as founders, graduates, faculty, staff and students mark the occasion

The audience enjoyed live music from Laura Crotte and food from Nellie's restaurant. New and older generations of students and alumni were able to share that beautiful space and engage in very interesting conversations throughout the evening. Many thanks to: Billy Ocasio and the staff of National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, José E. López and the staff of the programs at Puerto Rican Cultural Center; and members of the 40th Anniversary Planning Committee.

The Health Insurance Marketplace has reopened and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center's Affordable Care Act Program has been busy assisting consumers. For instance, we had In-Person Counselors at State Representative Cynthia Soto's Job Fair and at an enrolling event at Presence Saints Mary's Hospital on Saturday, November 15. They were able to enroll dozens of consumers who were previously uninsured. Furthermore, we'd like to remind those who are already enrolled that, if they wish to change their plan, they have until December 15 or they will be automatically re-enrolled in the one they have already. We expect to continue helping the community through this new enrollment period, which ends February 15, 2015.

By Jonathan Rosa, Asst Professor, Dept of Anthropology, UMass, Amherst.

By Hope Poirier, Centro Infantil Childcare

For their art activity, Alma Moreno taught Audrie, Yasmin and Maicol how to write their first and last name. They had more trouble writing their last names more than their first. They were so determined to get it right they kept on trying and by the end of the activity they had gotten the hang of it. They still have to look at their name tags to write their name but they were excited that they learned how to write all the letter. Good Job!

 

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.

By Emily Leidenfrost, Girls Bike Club's Facilitator

It may be getting chilly in Chicago, but things are only heating up for Girls Bike Club this month! We've had a number of successful activities in October, including cooking healthy snacks, group rides, building mechanic skills in the shop, and special events, like Bring a Friend Day. Soon, we will be gearing up for our annual winter fashion show, Heels on Wheels, guaranteed to be a super fly evening. We have two new interns who are doing outreach and social media to get more girls on bikes. There are usually 7 to 10 girls who come on out every Wednesday, 4pm - 6pm. We are so thrilled about this dedicated group, but always looking for new members! It's a great time to come and ask us about a bike project you might be interested in from installing fenders to building up a custom bike of your dreams.

UIC students, staff and the BACCA program were able to see how everyday immigrant mothers and children fleeing poverty and violence are criminalized and detained in jail-like detention centers. The discussion was led by Jennifer Chan, Associate Director of Policy at the Heartland Alliance's National Immigrant Justice Center.

In the picture is Mario Lucero LCC Assistant Director Jennifer Chan from Heartland Alliance's National Immigrant Justice Center and BACCA Program

This month, we're excited to launch a new Robotics program at Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School. Students will design and program robots twice per week. Their robots will be competing in four competitions throughout the year. As part of the program, mentors from Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) will tutor students in computer programming. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, will give students experiences in STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), career exploration, and will help students gain access to post secondary education.

 

     The Robotics program at Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School is made possible through a growing partnership with Aaron Cortez, of the NEIU Center for College Access and Success, in conjunction with the NEIU Trio Upward Bound Math and Science program. Looking to enhance our Science and Technology program, I reached out to Mr. Cortez, who was excited by the opportunity that our school presented. After the initial meeting, we met with Matt Rodriguez, Principal of Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School, to discuss an initial program. The partnership also got support from Marvin Garcia, President of the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School Board of Directors, who is also Trustee at NEIU.

 

      That support resulted in the Summer Program 2014, in which ten students worked at NEIU in the Trio Upward Bound Math and Science program. Students studied game design, robotics construction, statistics, and the Korean language. They went on trips to the Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, and others. As a culminating event, students presented their game design and robotics projects to community leaders, including Mayor Rham Emmanuel. Students from Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School were so successful in the NEIU program, that the Robotics program was implemented on-site at our school for this academic year.

 

     Student Martin Ferrusquia, who attended the Summer Program, explains his experience, "I engineered a robot -- a proto-type. I built an 18' x 18' x 18' robot from the ground up. Then, I programmed it so it could move in four directions and so the lift would go up and down. Now I can put engineering on my resume."

 

     If the school is successful with the on-site Robotics program, this could lead to another level of partnership for a program funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. With that, we hope our school can implement the Robotics program on an ongoing basis.

 

 

25 people attended the NYC Coordinator for the Freedom of Oscar López Rivera meeting on Saturday, Nov. 15 at El Maestro Cultural Center. The second meeting convoked by the NYC Coordinator to Free Oscar López Rivera agreed on a general route, agreed and divided up into the subcommittees and in general, started the planning for a broad, mass march to take place on May 30, 2015 in NYC. May 29, 1981 is the day Oscar was arrested. Over 20 groups- most of them with a long history of supporting Puerto Rican political prisoners- have come together as the core organizing group.

 

Four cities were represented- Allentown and Pittsburgh PA, Detroit, MI, and New York- Boston, MA and Philadelphia, PA have indicated that they will attend the next meeting. Fitchburg and Holyoke, MA are already involved in the campaign, planning local events that will help mobilize.

 

The campaign to Free Oscar has picked up considerable momentum in Puerto Rico and the US, as well as internationally in the last year. Recently, the Governor of Puerto Rico, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, visited Oscar with Congressman Luis Gutiérrez and came away even more committed to Oscar's freedom.

 

Next year promises to be a decisive one, as more groups, civic, labor, faith-based, women's, LGBTQ and cultural- sign onto the campaign for Oscar's freedom.

 

Join us on May 30, 2015 in New York City and help us bring Oscar López Rivera home.

 

For more information, contact info@freeoscarNYCmay30.org or visit freeoscarlopeznycmay30.org for updates.

Figuras claves como el presidente de la Universidad de Puerto Rico (UPR), el doctor Uroyoán Walker Ramos, el rector del Recinto de Río Piedras, Carlos Severino, el escritor y profesor Eduardo Lalo y la Presidenta del Consejo de Estudiantes de la UPR han unido sus voces para invitar a la comunidad universitaria a una jornada de actividades encaminadas a promover la excarcelación del ex político Oscar López Rivera.

La jornada de eventos que unen a los diversos sectores de la comunidad universitaria, denominada "La Iupi con Oscar", contará con fotomontajes, diálogos, conferencias, murales y un evento musical que pretende integrar a la UPR en la lucha por la excarcelación del prisionero político puertorriqueño. Siga leyendo aqui.

bell hooks with young Puerto Rican scholars at the National Association of Women's Studies Conference in San Juan

By Ana López, New York Coordinator to Free Oscar López Rivera

During the week of November 9-15, 2014, several activities took place where Oscar López Rivera was the center piece of talk and support for his release was abundant.  The PIP celebrated the birth of Gilberto Concepción de Gracias, where compañero Alejandro Molina, of the Boricua Human Rights Network showed the audience Oscar's painting of Gilberto Concepción de Gracias as well of pictures of Sen. Maria de Lourdes Santiago and Juan Dalmau, PIP Secretary-General's visit to Oscar at FCI Terre Haute prison this year. Compañera Ana López of the NY Coordinator to Free Oscar spoke about Oscar's Freedom campaign in New York and planned events like the mass mobilization for May 30th, 2015 in NYC. There are monthly meetings being held at El Maestro, Inc., 1300 Southern Blvd. in the Bronx, NY  for this mobilization. Next scheduled meeting is December 6, 2014 at 10am, all are welcome to partake in this endeavor.

 

Also Ponce Laspina, Executive Director of El Maestro and Armando Pacheco were present and spoke of the new CD that is dedicated to Oscar.  Armando Pacheco explained that the CD has been played in WUQU public radio in Puerto Rico and that radio listeners are broadly requesting that the the song dedicated to Oscar be played.  Who knows, it may become a hit!

 

On November 13th, compañero José E. López presentation as a panelist in the 175 years celebration of Eugenio Maria de Hostos in the Bronx, NY at Hostos Community College.  Professor López spoke of a new model of education being implemented in Chicago that incorporated students and parents input but most important from the concept of developing a "cultural citizenship" within the "community as a campus" of learning.  Professor López ideas were well received as one could hear the audience's intermittent applauses.

 

In this conference about 175 years of Hostos' legacy 15 scholars attended from Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, in the US and Puerto Rico. The scholars has made a commitment to write to President Obama supporting Oscar López Rivera's release.

 

Professor López also visited several classes at Hostos, invited by Professor Ana M. López. In two Philosophy classes, Prof. López went into length about the educational model that is being implemented in Chicago.  In the words of Hostos Community College student, Madlen Castro, she states:

 

Dr. José E. López believes we need to re-educate the people of where knowledge is acquired and the realization that 'we are self-holders of knowledge'.

 

And she added in her written response about Jose's presentation:

 

He stated that 'community is the site of where knowledge should come from'. His main focus on education has taken him through a journey in developing the alternative school model. He believes that a part of the solution to our failing public schools system is vertical alignment, where the curriculum is aligned through early education up to high school."

 

In the Latin American and Caribbean Class (LAC 101) José spoke to 30 students that have read Oscar's book entitled "Between Torture and Resistance".  In their written reflections, Gloria Udaze (from Nigeria) student stated:

 

Dr. José E. López was very interesting speaker and really engaging. The resemblance of him to his brother Oscar is shocking.  I enjoyed him speaking of the special relationship he had with his mother.  He spoke about his mother and her unwavering strength and how much she loved her 6 children.  It was great to hear him speak of all the programs he and his brother started for the poor people in the community in Chicago.  José and his brother, Oscar, have made a major impact not only in the Puerto Rican community, but also in the world. Oscar López Rivera's book is used in many schools and students like myself have been given the opportunity to learn about his legacy.

 

Another student, Morgan Méndez (from Dominican Republic) wrote: 

 

I was moved by his speech. I was not expecting to hold back my tears when he spoke about Oscar and his mother and how Oscar's granddaughter had imagination to pretend she could touch him through one inch glass during prison visits.

 

Besides the great impact of Jose's presentations at the conference and classes, we were able to collect over 300 signed letter addressed to President Obama and secure commitment from 10 international scholars in support for Oscar's release.

Las visitas que he hecho a los Estados Unidos han tenido siempre un propósito relacionado con el activismo, nunca con fines turísticos. La más reciente tuvo lugar el pasado fin de semana cuando junto a un muy querido amigo pasé brevemente por la ciudad de Chicago y estuve dos días en Indiana. El propósito fue conocer personalmente al querido y respetado compañero Oscar López Rivera. Fuimos en compañía de la hermana en lucha y solidaridad, Jan Susler, la abogada de Oscar. Recorrimos más de cuatro horas por carretera para llegar a Terre Haute, donde se encuentra la última prisión en la cual ha estado el prisionero político puertorriqueño que más tiempo lleva en injusto confinamiento. Luego de una noche de poco sueño, llegamos muy temprano a la cárcel que ese domingo 2 de noviembre estaba colmada de visitas. La nuestra era una visita legal, pero pasamos por todo el protocolo de seguridad carcelaria. 

Confieso que tenía temor de cómo iba a fluir la visita. Qué temas abordaría, además de expresarle mi cariño con un gran abrazo que reuniera todos los que conmigo enviaron las pocas personas a quienes les dije el propósito del viaje. Al poco tiempo de esperar en los asientos que nos fueron asignados apareció con su uniforme crema y zapatillas azules. De baja estatura, pero erguido, de caminar pausado, pero seguro y con la misma mirada directa y penetrante que había visto en las fotografías y que mi amigo Iván Figueroa Luciano ha capturado tan bien en sus trabajos. Sólo que esos ojos pequeños e inquietos traslucen un gran calor humano, mucha sabiduría y sensibilidad. Luego del caluroso saludo me tocó sentarme justo a su lado. Mis acompañantes quedaron frente a él. Jan me cedió ese asiento. Mientras observaba el perfil de Oscar me decía internamente que se ve mucho más joven, con un cutis envidiable, en el que no se perciben arrugas, salvo unas pocas alrededor de los ojos Mis temores sobre lo que ocurriría y cómo le caería se disiparon enseguida. La conversación fluyó de forma natural, como si nos hubiésemos visto antes. Fuimos de uno a otro tema: la campaña por su excarcelación, ¡la visita del gobernador!, las elecciones en Estados Unidos que tendrían lugar días después, "las Treinta y tres por Oscar- Hasta su Regreso", ¡su hija Clarisa!, el cumpleaños 107 de Doña Isabelita Rosado; en fin que hablamos de todo.

Quedé admirada de su extraordinaria memoria y fue muy grato oírle hablar sobre su familia, los episodios felices de su niñez, de su San Sebastián, de sus primeros años escolares en Chicago, de su doloroso paso por Vietnam, de las estrategias de organización comunitaria en la Ciudad de los Vientos. Me hizo muy feliz como activista feminista el alto concepto que tiene sobre el rol vital que juegan las mujeres en el trabajo organizativo comunitario, sobre lo cual contó varias anécdotas que sostenían lo que decía con mucha alegría. Me sentí tan orgullosa cuando se refirió al grupo de las mujeres que nos reunimos en el Puente Dos Hermanos cada último domingo de mes, como las amazonas boricuas modernas. En ese momento sí que tuve que hacer un esfuerzo para retener las lágrimas.

Oscar es un hombre que opina con sabiduría sobre cualquier tema: política, música, historia, cine, baile, activismo, ejercitación física, sobre la humanidad. Es evidente cuánto ha leído y la memoria que tiene sobre nombres, fechas, eventos, personas y personajes. En fin, hablar con él tiene el efecto de enriquecerte como ser humano. Cuando hablábamos, escuchaba atentamente con la cabeza un poco baja para luego contestar o dar su opinión. Transcurrió el primer día hablando casi sin pausa. Los guardias en el área de visitas miraban de vez en cuando, pero no hubo ninguna intervención. Hacerlo en español era una ventaja porque no entendían nada. Tuvimos una merienda muy liviana de las máquinas de alimentos nada nutritivos que allí están disponibles. Nos tomamos fotografías mediante el procedimiento, la cámara y el prisionero fotógrafo que la cárcel pone a disposición mediante pago. Llegó la hora de marcharnos. Jan y yo volveríamos al otro día, pues mi amigo debía regresar a Chicago para una reunión. 

El lunes 3 volvimos a la prisión Jan y yo y nuestro amigo muerto de la envidia por no poder estar un día más. Profundizamos sobre varios temas. Le hablé sobre cómo surgió la idea de las "Treinta y tres por Oscar, Hasta su Regreso" y de cada una de las cuatro compañeras que junto a mí establecimos el plan: Alida Millán, conspiradora mayor, Magali Millán, Petra Warrington a quienes conoce por cartas y Flora Guzmán. Le conté sobre la casita de la playa en Cerro Gordo y el recordó que en el programa que se hizo en Cuba sobre el disco, La lucha es vida toda preparado por artistas puertorriqueños para él y que pudo escuchar gracias al Universo, supo en la entrevista que le hicieron a Alida que en ese momento estaba con nosotras allí en la casita. Creo que fue ese día cuando nació la idea de las Mujeres del Puente. Por supuesto que lo invité a quedarse allí con Clarisa y Karina cuando sea excarcelado. Es un espacio con muy buenas vibraciones pues allí vivió mi amado padre.

El lunes el tiempo pasó más rápido pues sería el día de la despedida. Oscar impartiría una clase de pintura para otros confinados a las 2:00 de la tarde. Nos dimos el último abrazo a la 1:30. Lo vimos alejarse erguido en su uniforme crema, caminando con seguridad como el que nada teme y se siente con el deber cumplido. Salí de allí con una mezcla de tristeza, pero también de alegría por el breve encuentro, aunque hubo muchas horas de conversación, pero nunca suficientes. Alegre, sin embargo, por el gran regalo de haber conocido en persona a este gran puertorriqueño. 

Éstas son mis primeras expresiones escritas después de la visita a Oscar. Espero tener la oportunidad de compartir más sobre ella.

 Lea el articulo en Claridad.

Upload your Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint files to Google Drive. Now you can open and edit them on any device, without Office software. If you want to work on a file with teammates in real time, just convert it to a Google document, spreadsheet or presentation.

Step 1:	From the Chrome Web Store, download the Chrome extension for editing Office files with Docs, Sheets or Slides.
Step 2:	In Google Drive, click the New button in the top-left corner and choose File upload, then select an Office file on your hard drive.
Step 3:	To open and edit the Office file in Word, Excel or PowerPoint format, locate it in Google Drive and double-click its file name.

Once the extension is installed, Office files that you drag into Chrome, open in Gmail, Google Drive, and more, will be opened in Docs, Sheets, and Slides for viewing and editing.

Share these simple steps with your team so they can add the Chrome extension and edit Office files directly with Google Drive. Get the Chrome Extension.

STAY CONNECTED