The November Issue of La Voz de Paseo Boricua is Out!

Donate Now!

El Rescate Transitional Living Program
We're excited to be taking part in The Out In The Open Sleep Out; In fact. We are in the midst of our Fundraising efforts. We have  set a fundraising goal, and we would be grateful for your support in reaching it.

Will you support our team in building awareness and support for our city's youth who are experiencing homelessness?

Help Fund a New Children's Book, "Plantando Banderas en la Calle Division" on Kickstarter!
Help me tell my new story.

Dear Friends & Family Members,

I'm writing to you today to let you know about the Kickstarter campaign for my new children's book "Planting Flags on Division Street." This project has been in the works for a while and I want to share why I've decided to self publish this story.

Why do I write?

I write to forget, I write to escape. I write to change what I see before my eyes into something better. I write to wipe out the bad and to give me, and others, better memories of fairer histories.

I write stories that for people who've been told they don't have any stories to tell. I write to fill the Grand Canyon sized hole that the children's literature publishing industry has created by not addressing the needs of Latino children.

As a little girl in Lorain, Ohio I didn't have books about Latino girls and boys growing up in the United States of America. All the stories I read were filled with children that didn't look like me set in communities that were different than my neighborhood.

After I had my first child I found out what a challenge it was to find stories that reflected my daughter's culture and reality. Now, with my 8 year old son I continue to struggle to find stories that celebrate our culture and values, as well as share with him other cultures, beliefs, and realities. It's even harder to find stories that encourage him to imagine and see himself in different places doing different things.

As a professor and former teacher I know how important stories are and how they shape and define how we see ourselves and others. It's important for many different kinds of stories to be told. It's also important for us to read, hear and tell stories that encourage us to imagine, hope and dream of something better and work for a cause bigger than ourselves.

That's why I write.
Please join me in making our children's books as diverse as the lives we live.

Together we can tell stories that make a difference.

Pa'lante,
Raquel

Click here to see our Kickstarter campaign.
When you do your Holiday shopping at AmazonSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Puerto Rican Cultural Center

Bookmark the link http://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-7347778 and support us every time you shop.

From Puerto Rican Cultural Center & Programs

LAS CALVERAS EN HAUNTED PASEO BORICUA
por Cristian Roldan, PRCC
Como parte de la ambientaci�n de paseo Boricua en concordancia con Haunted Paseo, se llevo a cabo el dise�o en las ventanas de los edificios donde operan los programas del Puerto Rican Cultural Center. Los mismos consist�an en el dise�o de calaveras representando el rostro de nuestros pr�ceres puertorrique�os. Entre ellos se pod�an distinguir los personajes de Pedro Albizu Campos, Juan Antonio Corretjer, Lolita Lebr�n, Ram�n E. Betances, Eugenio M. Hostos y Julia de Burgos. El dise�o  tuvo como objetivo celebrar el paso por la vida de nuestros procures, su paso por la existencia y su aporte a nuestra patria; a la vez que se concordaba con el principal evento del mes de octubre.
Monologo "Esperando tu regreso" cuenta con apoyo Centro Cultural Puertorrique�o 
por Cristian Roldan, PRCC
El pasado viernes 13 de noviembre se llevo a cabo el mon�logo "Esperando tu regreso" actuado  por la destacada actriz puertorrique�a Marian Pab�n. El mismo se llevo a cabo en la sala de teatro del Instituto Cervantes, contando con la presencia de una dozena de empleados del Centro Cultural Puertorrique�o Juan A. Corretjer y residentes de la Comunidad Puertorrique�a. El encuentro se di� por casualidad a pesar de expresar el mismo interes.
  La obra explora la psiquis de Margarita, quien ya en la tercera edad, rememora el "amor de su vida". A pesar de su carrera exitosa, no logra consolidar su vida amorosa con su pianista, del cual se enamora e idealiza hasta el final de su vida.  La pieza teatral muestra el gran apego que vive la cantante de blues, el cual transciende el tiempo, el espacio y el fenecimiento de su enamorado. 
Centro Infantil Consuelo Lee Corretjer Reminders
  • November 10, 2015 Headstart hearing and vision screening
  • November 20, 2015 Family Potluck Dinner at 4:30pm
  • November 26-27, 2015 Happy Thanksgiving! Daycare will be closed
Please bring your child appropriate weather clothes since the children are going outside everyday weather-permitting.

On Sale Now

November Chicago Magazine "Why Jos� L�pez 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 Jos� E. L�pez conducted by Elly Fishman.
Los Tequis
4 Apps and Sites to Help You Ditch Your Cable Subscription
These 4 apps and sites will help you cut the cord and save money with streaming content
 
If you've got cable, chances are you're paying for a whole bunch of channels you never watch-these four apps and sites will help you cut the cord and save.

From Our Community Partners
Message by Jos� R. S�nchez, 
Norwegian-American Hospital

Dear Community Forum Participants,
Thank you for attending the second Norwegian American Hospital Community Forum yesterday.
Our goal was to hold an event that was informative and engaging; providing opportunities for Norwegian American Hospital to share information and discuss needs and opportunities that would help us work together.  Your attendance, participation, and thoughtful input made the event a true success.
In Fiscal Year 2014-2015, we returned exciting results - clinically and financially - to support the health needs of our community members while dedicating our time and intellect toward planning for the future. Our 2014-2015 Annual Report tells our story. I hope you will read our story and pass it on to your colleagues, co-workers and friends.
Again, I thank you for your interest in Norwegian American Hospital and I look forward to working with you over the coming months to build a healthier Humboldt Park community. Please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Jos� R. S�nchez
Administration | President and CEO

Unidos por Puerto Rico/United for Puerto Rico
A Newsletter documenting the Puerto Rican Stateside Response to the Fiscal and Humanitarian Crisis
unidosporpuertorico.wordpress.com
Thousands rally in Puerto Rico for better healthcare
By Nick Brown, Reuters
(Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans, including hospital workers wearing scrubs, rallied in San Juan on Thursday to press Washington to improve healthcare benefits for the indebted U.S. territory which is in the middle of a fiscal crisis.
Puerto Rico, saddled with $72 billion in debt and a 45 percent poverty rate, defaulted on part of its debt in August. It receives less federal healthcare support than U.S. states and faces the impending dissipation in 2017 of a federal block grant, which could further squeeze Medicaid services.
"At this precise moment, there are people all over the island ... who are enduring physical pain," said Reverand Eunice Santana Melecio, director of the Caribbean Institute for Ecumenical Action and Formation.  
The sheer number of marchers, estimated in the tens of thousands by the governor's office, shut down a major San Juan thoroughfare. Ranging from public servants to athletes, some held signs with demands like "funds for healthcare, not insurance companies."
The rally was attended by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. New York is home to the greatest number of Puerto Ricans outside the island with 1.1 million.
"What's happening is unfair to the people of Puerto Rico. 3.5 million of our fellow Americans are being left out in the cold when it comes to healthcare," said de Blasio.
Cuomo announced plans for a summit in the coming weeks to strategize ways to press Washington to address Puerto Rico's health and fiscal crisis.
The U.S. Treasury, warning of a budding humanitarian crisis on the island, has called on the U.S. Congress to improve healthcare funding for Puerto Rico.
The Campaign to Free Oscar L�pez Rivera has its own 
e-newsletter: The Water's Edge/La Orilla del Mar
Published approximately every two weeks
View past issues here.

Write to Oscar:
Oscar L�pez Rivera, #87651
FCI Terre Haute
PO Box 33
Terre Haute, IN 47808
ACLU CALLS FOR THE IMMEDIATE PARDON AND RELEASE OF OSCAR L�PEZ-RIVERA
By ACLU US and Puerto Rico

November 12, 2015


Sally Quillian Yates
Deputy Attorney General of the United States
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NWWashington, DC 20530-0001

Deborah Leff
Pardon Attorney
145 N Street N.E.Room 5E.
508Washington, D.C. 20530

Re: Oscar L�pez-Rivera, 87651-024, 
FCI Terre Haute

Dear Ms. Yates and Ms. Leff: We write to ask you to urge President Obama to exercise his constitutional power of pardon to commute the disproportionate sentence and order the immediate release of Oscar L�pez-Rivera, who has served more than 34 years in U.S. prisons related to his commitment to the self-determination of Puerto Rico. The American Civil Liberties Union is a nation wide non-profit non-partisan organization with a membership of more than 500,000 members of diverse political persuasions;all dedicated to defending and preserving the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and the laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.Consistent with our longstanding commitment to just and fair sentencing,the ACLU strongly believes that Mr. L�pez-Rivera's disproportionate prison sentence serves no purpose consistent with merciful and compassionate justice. Mr. L�pez-Rivera is currently 72 years old. We support commutation for OscarL�pez-Rivera because of the strength of the civil rights and human rights issues his case represents. Mr. L�pez-Rivera,who was not convicted of a crime of violence, is serving a 70 year sentence, which President Clinton determined to be disproportionate when in 1999 he commuted the sentences of most of Mr. L�pez-Rivera's co-defendants. While all commuted co-defendants are living productive, law-abiding lives, Mr. L�pez-Rivera will be 80 years old by the time he is eligible for release in 2023.
Ren� P�rez reconocido por su lucha por la paz y labor social
El Residente, l�der de la banda Calle 13, es el primer latinoamericano en recibir el premio Nobel Summit Peace Award.
Ren� P�rez Joglar, Residente de Calle 13, fue premiado por promover la paz a trav�s de sus letras y labor social con el Nobel Summit Peace Award. Es conocido su trabajo social y el alto contenido pol�tico que las letras que compone tienen. Adem�s es un colaborador activo de causas a favor de los derechos humanos. 
Anoche, durante su discurso en la entrega de premios en Barcelona, Ren� dijo: "Nuestra condici�n natural lamentablemente para los que queremos vivir en paz no es la paz. La paz es algo que muere todos los d�as y que a su vez resucita todos los d�as, porque en el mundo hay m�s gente buena que mala". Finaliz� su discurso agradeciendo el honor de ser galardonado y adem�s pidi� por la mejora de la educaci�n p�blica gratuita y de calidad, as� como tambi�n reclam� la libertad para el preso pol�tico puertorrique�o Oscar Lopez Rivera.
El premio es otorgado desde 1999 a todas aquellas celebridades que son activistas y elevan conciencia en las problem�ticas sociales. A todos aquellos que alzan la voz en contra de la guerra.
Fernando "Ponce" Laspina using boxing to motivate troubled youths
CCTV America

Declamar�n poemas por 34 horas para exigir libertad de independentista L�pez
by EFEUSA
Poetas puertorrique�os participar�n el 4 y 5 de diciembre pr�ximos en un evento donde dedicar�n durante 34 horas poes�as al independentista Oscar L�pez Rivera para exigir su excarcelaci�n de 34 a�os en prisiones de los EE.UU. por conspiraci�n sediciosa.
El grupo Poetas en Marcha inform� hoy en un comunicado de prensa de que la actividad dedicada a L�pez Rivera, "Oscar hecho en poes�a", se llevar� a cabo en la Plaza Santiago Palmer de Caguas, municipio colindante a San Juan.
Los organizadores detallaron que la cita arrancar� el 4 de diciembre a las 09.00 hora local (13.00 GMT) y culminar� el d�a 5 a las 19.00 (23.00 GMT).
"Nuestra intenci�n es darle fuerza a la campa�a por la excarcelaci�n de Oscar a trav�s de la expresi�n art�stica. Estar 34 horas continuas leyendo poes�a implica un sacrificio y compromiso muy grande", resaltaron los organizadores.
"Con este evento, adem�s de promover el reclamo por su excarcelaci�n, reconocemos la inmensa aportaci�n de Oscar a lo que es y significa Puerto Rico y su lucha por la libertad, agregaron.
El grupo Poetas en Marcha indic� adem�s que est�n contactando a otros pa�ses para a�adirle proyecci�n internacional a la actividad invitando a poetas de pa�ses cercanos "para que desde su propio suelo se integren", ya sea a trav�s de comunicaci�n electr�nica u organizando lecturas simult�neas
Puerto Rican Cultural Center
o. 773/342-8023 f. 773/342-6609
info@prcc-chgo.org

"Live and Help to Live"