LATINOPM.COM
NOVEMBER 2013
ARIZONA EDITION
TOLLESON - keeping up with SUCCESS JOINING FORCES
to train first-rate firefighters
OUT-DATED BUSINESS models can create waste
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Journal of the American Latino Dream
Volume 10
{November 2013}
20
37
Tolleson’s happy dilemma
Farm-town-turned-industry-hub cautiously plans its future
7 9
From the publisher Working toward true togetherness
¿Será posible? Unhappy endings
12 LP journal A load of Latino talent infuses new animated
feature film, The Book of Life; David Luna chosen to fill Mesa District 5 Council seat; remembering Manuel “Lito” Peña, Jr.’s lifetime of service as state legislator and activist
Issue 3
Firefighting training program Toughest jobs rely on team effort as well as technology
17 Latina still standing
Those who serve 43 Tempe Police Detective Gabe Gomez keeps it
No excuse not to be thankful
positive working the street and the schools
19 Rincón del arte Painter Anthony Vasquez seeks emotion and
45 Health Early diagnosis with native language screening
truthfulness in visual narratives
27 Movin’ up Adriana Garcia goes to Washington as
can make huge difference in life outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
congressional intern; NSF Board’s Public Service Award for Helios’ Johanna Vasquez; HarperMarinick earns D-backs Latino leadership award; Sixth Flinn-Brown Leadership Academy
14 Heard Vibe 31 Entrepreneur Museum exhibit features Latino children’s Luci’s Healthy Marketplace: an idea, an book illustrators; Quetzal Guerrero performs at DBG; OYO introduces Sun Devil minifigures; annual tequila fest at U.S. Airways Center
15 Parents Anaya says can help in college admission process On the cover:
Tolleson Mayor Adolfo Gamez Photo by Jorge Quintero
50 AZ’s Time out new crop of vintners open doors to public 53 P.S.
intention ... a thriving business
33 Briefcase Management pro, Chris Majer, reviews
Connecting with the dear but departed
54 My perspective
... on the “Move On When Ready” legislation: positive results of grade retention strategy outweighed by a long list of negatives
workplace policies and practices that lead to losses in productivity and profitability
Coming in December:
Socially
responsible giving
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¡ November 2013!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
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¡! Publisher’s letter
November 2013 Publisher/CEO Ricardo Torres Executive Editor/COO Cecilia Rosales, Ph.D. Art Director Jorge Quintero Editor Virginia Betz Contributing Writers Catherine Anaya, Diana Bejarano, Virginia Betz, Jonathan Higuera, Chris Majer, Juan Medrano, Robrt L. Pela, Stella Pope Duarte, Beth Trevino, M.D., Joan Westlake Director of Sales and Marketing Carlos Jose Cuervo Advertising Account Executive Grace Alvarez Webmaster QBCS Inc.
Contact Us
www.latinopm.com P.O. Box 2213 Litchfield Park, AZ 85340 602-277-0130 Advertising: sales@latinopm.com Editorial: editor@latinopm.com Design: art@latinopm.com
Subscriptions For home or office delivery, please send your name, address, phone number, and a check for $24 to Latino Perspectives Magazine at the address above. Subscriptions also available for credit-card purchase by calling 602-277-0130. Visit latinopm.com/digital for a free digital subscription.
Esprit de corps NOVEMBER’S MAJOR HOLIDAYS, VETERANS DAY AND THANKSGIVING DAY,
compel us to reflect on the ways in which we are indebted to others. Another lesson to take away from the rituals that mark these holidays – dazzling parades and resplendent banquets – is that, in a spirit of togetherness, we can accomplish things together that would not be possible individually. LPM’s monthly profiles of Those Who Serve, entrepreneurs, artists and Latinas Still Standing reveal how often accomplished people attribute their success to teamwork and the support of their colleagues and families rather than to individual effort or talent. However, because much of our connectedness with others is ascribed by kinship, profession or proximity, rather than actually chosen, it takes time and work to create that genuine state of togetherness that permits great things to happen. The creation of a “family feeling” among those performing as first responders is well illustrated in this month’s Education feature on the training partnership between Phoenix College and the City of Phoenix Fire Department in their educational program for firefighters. Many aspects of the program, such as mentoring and networking within the firefighting community, are intended to promote the ideal of a firefighting career as a “way of life” based on a “family ethos.” The Briefcase feature this month by guest contributor Chris Majer, author of The Power to Transform: Passion, Power, and Purpose in Daily Life (Rodale Books, 2013), also touches on this theme. Majer’s thesis is that the world of business continues to be operated on management principles largely derived from an assembly-line mentality of production. Today, however, machines do most of the grunt work and human resources have greater value applied to innovation and problem solving. Archaic management philosophies, Majer argues, do not encourage these skills, but rather lead to a waste of human capital. Many of his recommendations center on the creation of a work environment in which people can develop confidence in themselves and trust in others. Physical togetherness is easy to obtain, but a genuine commitment to the pursuit of common goals is necessary to develop a true esprit de corps.
Latino Perspectives Magazine is published 12 times a year and is selectively distributed throughout Arizona. The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted by Latino Perspectives Media, LLC, all rights reserved, and may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without written permission from the publisher.
Editorial mission statement
Latino Perspectives creates community, cultivates c u lt ural pr ide and provokes, challenges and connec ts L at inos who are def ining, pursuing, a nd ac h iev i n g t he A me r ic a n L at i no D re a m .
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WE PUT SOME OF THE VALLEY’S TOP BUSINESS EXPERTS IN ONE PLACE. Business Resource Center. You need timely, relevant information to help you manage your business. But finding it can be a hassle. That’s why SRP has partnered with local business organizations to bring you professional insights on everything from marketing and human resources to financing and forecasting. All in one place. All from experts in their fields. Learn more at srpbizresource.com.
¡! ¿Será posible?
Am I blue? By Robrt Pela
PAPA SMURF HAS DIED.
We’re not talking about the Saturday morning cartoon character and patriarch of fictional Smurfville; we mean Paul Karason, the famously blue-skinned man, who died last month in a Washington hospital after suffering a heart attack at age 62. Had he died 10 years earlier, few would have noticed. But Karason became a brightly-colored public figure when he started turning blue more than a decade ago, the result of applying and ingesting colloidal silver. Karason claimed he was trying to heal a nagging case of dermatitis when he began using the silver-based remedy, a liquid with silver particles in it, in the late 1990s. Ingesting silver is an outmoded treatment for fighting infection that was phased out by physicians after the FDA approved penicillin in the 1930s. Karason used the self-prescribed treatment despite its rather vivid side effects. “This led to my being financially dependent,” Karason told Matt Lauer on a Today Show appearance several years ago. “Nobody really wants to hire blue people. Thank God for my family, who have loved and supported me all these years.” As families go, Karason certainly had it better than Nevada’s Marianne Theresa Johnson-Reddick, who also passed away last month. JohnsonReddick’s family, on the occasion of her death, published an obituary so venomous, it immediately went viral on social media networks around the globe.
“On behalf of her children whom she abrasively exposed to her evil and violent life,” the embittered obituary read, “we celebrate her passing from this earth and hope she lives in the after-life reliving each gesture of violence, cruelty and shame that she delivered on her children.” The now-notorious obit was written by Johnson-Reddick’s adult children, who achieved national notoriety when they successfully severed ties with their mother in the 1980s, prompting Nevada to become one of the first states to allow children to divorce their parents. Johnson-Reddick died at a Reno nursing home at the age of 79, after which two of the eight children removed from her care composed the nasty memorial to their mother. “Everyone she met, adult or child, was tortured by her cruelty
Your thoughts? Tell us what you think. Send your thoughts to editor@latinopm.com
and exposure to violence, criminal activity, vulgarity, and hatred of the gentle or kind human spirit,” the obit read. “Our greatest wish now is to stimulate a national movement that mandates a purposeful and dedicated war against child abuse in the United States of America.” Johnson-Reddick’s son, Patrick, told the Associated Press that he and his siblings were physically and emotionally tortured as children, and that it was his intention to shame his dead mother after her death but, also, “to bring awareness to child abuse, and to shame child abuse overall.” All that’s known about JohnsonReddick other than her lousy parenting skills, according to the Associated Press report, is that she lived in a mobile home with 15 cats and was hospitalized in May for treatment of bladder cancer.
Latino Perspectives welcomes feedback from readers regarding published stories or topics of interest. Please include your name and phone number. Mail letters to Editor, Latino Perspectives, P.O. Box 2213 Litchfield Park, Az. 85340. Or, email letters to editor@latinopm.com. latinopm.com
¡ November 2013!
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[Arizona Summit Law School Class of 2015]
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Conversation starters from the world around us
14 Vibe
Prix fixe Latin dinners; Latin folklore in pictures at the Heard Museum
15 Anaya says Still 17 Latina Standing
Parental investment key to college admission process
The capacity to be thankful in the face of adversity
i say...
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
You wanna see something really scary? November 6, 2014: Tom Horne re-elected attorney general. We can’t let Tom Horne stay in office and keep up his old tricks. A Halloween e-mail message, accompanied by an image of a monster with Horne’s head, sent by the “Felicia Rotellini for Attorney General” campaign. For the second time this year, a county prosecutor determined that Tom Horne violated campaign-finance laws in 2010 when he ran for office
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Detail of Anthony Vasquez’ Made New, 2013, oil on canvas, 50 by 30 inches
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¡!
LP journal
A master of horror and fantasy genres, Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro lends his talents as producer and co-writer to slightly tamer fare with animated movie, The Book of Life
Life-affirming cinema studded with Latino stars 20th Century Fox/Reel FX announced the cast for its upcoming, fully computergenerated animation film, The Book of Life, which is billed as a romance, a drama, a comedy, a musical and an action-adventure film. Given a title like that, what else would you expect? A Mexican Day of the Dead celebration is the initial backdrop for the plot, but it gets a whole lot wilder from there. With producer Guillermo del Toro and director Jorge Gutierrez at the helm, working with a script by del Toro, Gutierrez and Doug Langdale, it is no surprise that the voice cast is dominated by Latino luminaries, such as Zoë Saldana, Diego Luna, Kate del Castillo, Cheech Marin, Hector Elizondo, Ana de la Reguera, Eugenio Derbez, Gabriel Iglesias, and Danny Trejo. And, if that’s not enough – legendary tenor Plácido Domingo is also along for the ride (on the same bill with Ice Cube!!). The film’s original score and songs are by two-time Academy Award-winner and Grammy Award winner, Gustavo Santaolalla, but look for some new versions of iconic tunes as well. The Book of Life, set to be released in October 2014, references a celestial tome in which are recorded the names of those 12
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who merit salvation. But no one gets eternal bliss for nothing, and the film follows a young man, Manolo (voiced by Channing Tatum), through the ordeals he must undergo in order to discover the values that should inform his life decisions. On this journey, Manolo passes through three different fantastic worlds in which he must face down his worst fears and come to grips with what really matters in life. Profound issues, but played for entertainment value as in all the finest animated films intended for family viewing.
is currently the Director of Educational Television for the Mesa Public Schools. Luna has been a Mesa resident for 25 years and has served on numerous community and school boards, including Mesa United Way, Mesa Rotary International and the Mesa Association of Hispanic Citizens. He was named the City of Mesa’s Citizen of the Year in 2012.
Luna appointed to Mesa City Council On September 23, 2013, David Luna was formally sworn in as Councilmember for District 5 at a Mesa City Council special meeting. Luna was selected from a field of 17 eligible applicants to replace Dina Higgins, who resigned her position on the Council in August. He will serve until January of 2015. Luna received his B.A. in RadioTelevision from the University of Arizona, a master’s in Mass Communication from Arizona State, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. He
David Luna
LP journal
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Peña is survived by his seven children; but all Arizonans are the legatees of his lifetime of honorable service.
Mora Prize to ASU
Mario Vargas Llosa
First Cátedra Vargas Llosa The City College of New York (CCNY) will host the first Cátedra Vargas Llosa in the United States, an international academic project honoring Mario Vargas Llosa, the renowned Peruvian novelist and 2010 Nobel laureate in literature. The Cátedra’s mission is to provide interdisciplinary resources to study the works of Vargas Llosa and to promote emerging Spanish-language writers. At a ceremony to take place at CCNY’s Great Hall on November 4, Vargas Llosa will sign the agreement establishing the Cátedra and Dr. Efraín Kristal, professor and chair of comparative literature at UCLA, will deliver the inaugural lecture. Vargas Llosa remains very active on the international scene as a writer, teacher, editorialist and actor.
Tributes for Manuel Peña Manuel “Lito” Peña, Jr., who served in the Arizona State Legislature for 30 years, passed away on October 12, 2013, at the age of 88. Among the many causes he championed throughout his long career were school desegregation, the Martin Luther King Holiday in Arizona,
Manuel “Lito” Peña, Jr.
early voter registration projects, and a ceaseless defense of the rights of working families, the disabled and the homeless. Peña served on numerous boards and commissions including the City of Phoenix Human Relations Commission, Movimiento Unido Mexicano, American Legion Post 41 and the Phoenix Catholic Labor Society. In an official statement, Bill Roe, chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party, called Peña a “true pioneer ... one of those rare individuals who had the vision to see society’s inequities and the courage to do something about them.”
The Estela and Raúl Mora Award for 2013 went for the first time to an educational institution – Arizona State University (ASU). The award was established by bilingual author, poet and children’s literacy advocate Pat Mora and her siblings to honor their parents. The Moras, in partnership with REFORMA (the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking) present the award and a $1,000 prize annually to organizers of events promoting El día de los niños, El día de los libros/Children’s Day, Book Day, held on or near April 30. ASU’s April celebration, planned by the English Education Department, allowed 500 sixth through twelfth grade students and their teachers to participate in reading- and writingthemed workshops. Local authors and well-known Latino literary figures, like Alberto Ríos and Gary Soto, were on hand to motivate and inspire the participants as well as distribute and sign free books.
Pat Mora latinopm.com
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¡!
vibe
Blocks that tackle OYO SPORTSTOYS MANUFACTURES A SERIES OF SMALL
(about one inch tall), plastic ballplayers, with rotating forearms and bendable knees, that are compatible with building block sets, such as Lego and Mega Bloks. These “minifigures” sport the uniform colors and logos of major league baseball and national football league teams. Recently, the Acton, Massachusetts, company has added college football teams to the product line, and an Arizona State Sun Devil player is among the first group of college minifigures produced. Accessories, which include mini-football, minihelmet with removable face mask, and a mini-water bottle, permit some posing options. For collectors of sports paraphernalia, more concerned with display than play, each player comes with a stand and its own DNA number. OYO minifigures retail for about $12.99 each and are available for purchase at oyosportstoys.com, at sports stadiums and other retail outlets listed on the company website.
Agave-a-go-go ARDENT AFICIONADOS OF AGUAMIEL WILL NOT WANT TO MISS
the 5th Annual Phoenix Tequila Fest on Saturday, November 23, and Sunday, November 24. More than 100 kinds of tequila, all made from the blue agave of Jalisco, will be available for tasting at the exhibitor booths set up at the U.S. Airways Center from 12-5 p.m. on both days. The area’s top Mexican food restaurants will be passing out the antojitos, while local bands and strolling mariachis provide an appropriate soundtrack to an afternoon of indulgence. A gang of highly creative mixologists will also be on hand competing in the 2013 Margarita Challenge, sponsored by Camarena Tequila. A one-day pass costs $50 and $75 buys a two-day pass. Ticket holders (21+ only) are entitled to food tastings, samples of tequilas and hand-crafted margaritas, and complete access to all exhibits and vendor booths. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster locations, ticketmaster.com, charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000, and at the U.S. Airways Center Box Office located at 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix 85004. Attendees should drink responsibly and take advantage of the use of their Tequila Fest pass to ride Get more Vibe at the Metro Light Rail free on the days of the event.
Folk legends brought to life THE EXHIBIT, “LATINO FOLK TALES/CUENTOS POPULARES: ART BY LATINO ARTISTS,”
Lulu Delacre, Manco Capac and the Rod of Gold, 1996, oil, 13.5 × 10.5 in.
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opened in October at the Heard Museum. This selection of 60 artworks, assembled by curator Sylvia Nissley, celebrates the work of 12 award-winning children’s book illustrators, all of whom have visually translated the content of Latin American folktales and legends. Among the artists represented in the exhibit are: the Puerto Rican author/ illustrator Lulu Delacre, whose book, Golden Tales, is a compilation of Aztec, Zapotec and Taino myths; the surrealistic folk artist Esau Andrade Valencia of Nayarit, Mexico; and the Argentinian painter Beatriz Vidal, whose works appear in such classic children’s books as A Library for Juana and A Gift of Gracias. The family-friendly exhibit will run through January 5, 2014. The Heard Museum is located at 2301 N. Central Ave. in downtown Phoenix. Exhibition galleries are open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission: $18, adults; $13.50, seniors; $7.50, children 6-12 and students with ID; free for children 5 and under, members and Native Americans. Direct inquiries to contact@heard.org or call 602-252-8848.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHOW SPORTS MEDIA; AUDIENCE MAGNETS; HEARD MUSEUM
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Anaya says
vibe
¡!
College prep talk PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
By Catherine Anaya
TIME REALLY DOES FLY WHEN YOU’RE
Fascinating rhythms, all man-made, abound on Quetzal Guerrero’s latest release, Coiza Boa (“Good Thing”)
Splendor in the glass THE DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN (DBG)
after dark provides a suitable setting for a performance by native Phoenician, Queztal Guerrero, whose brand of “Latin soul” is an exotic blend of Mexican, Brazilian and Native American influences informed by his training as a classical musician and as a dancer and capoeirista. The outdoor concert, part of the “Music in the Garden Fall Concert Series,” will be staged on the Ullman Terrace, Friday, September 15 from 7-9 p.m. and coincides with the newly installed “Chihuly in the Garden” exhibit, a phantasmagoric display of glass sculptures, designed by world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, catenated with living plants. The ticket price of $25 ($20 for members) includes the exhibit and the concert, so, come early – doors open at 5:30 p.m. DBG also has dining facilities and a cash bar. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended; they can be obtained on-line at dbg.org, by calling 480-481-8188 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.) or from the admissions box office at 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix 85008. Visit qviolin.com/qg/ to discover the breadth of Guerrero’s eclecticism playing his signature instrument.
a parent. I’ve already started the college tours with my daughter. She’s only a junior in high school but, am I happy we decided to start this process now. Most importantly, it gives her time to see what’s out there, visit the campuses she thinks might appeal to her, ask questions and gauge how she “feels” when she’s there. Equally valuable is the insights she gets from the school officials about what they’re looking for in an applicant, how competitive the landscape is to get into a quality college, and how critical the junior year of high school is academically. These are things she’s heard from me and her school counselor over the years but, having it drilled into her head by the people who actually make that life-changing decision about whether to accept a student or not, gave it a whole new reality. Students today aren’t just expected to present a high GPA with a challenging curriculum. They’re also expected to provide unique, well-written essays; they’re expected to have exceptional SAT scores; and they need to give evidence that they are well-rounded persons involved in their campus and community. She’s always been a good, selfmotivated student. But getting this jump-start on the process has proven to be a game-changer. She knows exactly what she needs to do to get to where she wants to go; she no longer needs me to remind her what’s expected. Imagine that you’re the parents of a student with college aspirations, but you have no way to navigate those academic waters because you didn’t attend college.
That is the challenge facing so many families across our great state. Preparation is key to getting our students into college and that process needs to begin sooner rather than later. Parental involvement is essential, and that is why Arizona State University has rolled out a new program of workshops targeting this very issue. The Future Sun Devil Families initiative is partnering with various Valley high schools to offer free, monthly, interactive workshops during the regular school year in order for ninth-grade students and their parents to learn how to navigate the complexities of obtaining a college degree and receiving financial aid. They are also instructed bilingually so that everyone walks away with a clear understanding of what’s involved. We’re still working on paring down the list of places where my daughter will apply, but the idea of going to college was never in question for her. Every child should have the opportunity to reach for that goal and, when it’s backed by a parent’s support and understanding of the process, the opportunities for success are endless. For more information and to register for the FSDF program visit asu.edu/ futuresundevils. Catherine Anaya anchors CBS 5 News weeknights at 5, 5:30, 6 and 10 p.m. She is a mother of two, wife and motivational speaker. Reach her at catherine.anaya@cbs5az.com; connect with her on Facebook, twitter and at CatherineAnaya.com.
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“We found a place to fight cancer together, at Cancer Treatment Centers of America.” Mary Ellen & Martin Flores
Breast Cancer & Prostate Cancer Patients
Encontrando Esperanza Cancer hits a marriage hard. It’s even more difficult when cancer strikes twice. After losing her father to cancer, Mary Ellen, received a diagnosis of breast cancer. Throughout her treatment, her husband Martin was by her side. Then, after three years, they received another blow: Martin was diagnosed with prostate cancer. “He’s a strong cowboy, a champion roper,” said Mary Ellen. “But after hearing this news, he almost lost hope.” Mary Ellen needed to find strength for both of them. She found Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). “I called and within a short time, we were at CTCA®. A dedicated team of clinicians took the time to understand our diagnoses and developed an integrated cancer treatment plan for each of us.” Surrounded by their CTCA family, they did not have to fight alone. “This is what health care should be like,” said Martin. “Having everything in one place allows us to focus on healing so we can get back to our active family life and time with each other. Encontramos un lugar par luchar el cancer juntos, en Cancer Treatment Centers of America.” Call now to speak with one of our Oncology Information Specialists and learn how we fight cancer like no one else. Call 888-214-9488 or go to cancercenter.com.
No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results. © 2013 Rising Tide
vibe
Latina still standing
¡!
Choose to give thanks By Diana Bejarano
BEING THANKFUL IS A CHOICE.
The patio at Province restaurant in downtown Phoenix
Tour de Province YOUR PASSPORTS HAVE NOT EXPIRED –
yet! Since July of 2012, Randy Zweiban, executive chef at Province restaurant, located in the Westin Downtown Phoenix, has been creating special menus for his “Latin Passport Dinner Series.” By popular demand, the Series has been extended to January, 2014. The Latin Passport Series features platos regionales from a different Latin country each month. All Passport menus consist of a four-course meal at the very attractive price of $35 per person. Supplemental beverage pairings, highlighting cocktails and wines from the featured regions, will be available. The passport menu for a given month is initially offered on the first Saturday of the month (6-10 p.m.) and every Saturday thereafter throughout the month. The cuisine of Brazil is featured on November 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30; Puerto Rican specialities are offered on December 7, 14, 21 and 28; and a Mexican repast is scheduled for January 4, 11, 18 and 25. Additional details about the menus can be found at phoenix.provincerestaurant.com/ events/latin-passport/ Book your table on-line or call 602429-3600. Province is situated at the corner of Central and Van Buren (333 N. Central Ave.), Phoenix 85004.
People who have experienced many difficulties and hardships, may not think they have much to be thankful for. I believe that everyone has something to be thankful for; it’s just a matter of perspective. Gina Sauceda is a Latina who has endured tremendous hardships and losses, yet she chooses to be thankful. Gina and her husband Nick have been together since high school. They had three little girls. Their oldest daughter, Vanessa, was four years old when she became sick and was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. And, when their second daughter turned four years old, she was also diagnosed with the same illness. Both children were given a certain number of years to live. Their mother chose not to disclose this information to the children; she let them live as normal a life as possible and both of them survived longer than originally predicted. But, in 2002, her daughter Valerie, 13 years old, lost her battle with pulmonary hypertension and, seven years later, her oldest daughter Vanessa, who at 22 years old needed a heart and double lung transplant, also passed away. Gina had to endure losing two of her three daughters within the same decade. Yet, she is still standing and she is thankful. “My grandchild is my world,” Gina said. “She and my daughter and my husband keep me going and I am thankful for them.” Gina spent thousands of hours in various hospitals with her daughters since their diagnosis. Neither Gina nor the doctors know why the two girls were born with that disease; there was no apparent genetic history. Yet, in spite of
the misfortune, Gina has chosen to be thankful. “I am thankful for the time I was able to be their mother,” she said. “I am thankful for waking up every day.” She had been angry at first and angry at God, but she came to realize that God didn’t do this to her children, the illness did. Gina’s advice to other families who have to endure something so tragic is to take it one day at a time and choose to be thankful for the time you have with your children. On account of her faith, Gina is sure that she will be with her girls again. She considers herself a Latina Still Standing and I definitely concur that she epitomizes what that phrase means – she is resilient, optimistic, courageous and has a strong faith to help her through tough times. I chose to tell her story in November because I believe being thankful is a choice. Despite having gone through tremendous hardships and losses, one can still find reasons to be thankful. This Thanksgiving I am thankful for Gina and all of the other Latinas I have met through the Latina Still Standing column, blog and facebook platforms and thankful that I can share their stories of triumph over so many obstacles with other Latinas in order to inspire them to never give up. Happy Thanksgiving, Latinas! An Arizona native, Diana Bejarano, is a blogger, columnist, motivational speaker, marketing professional and a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Reach her on her website at latinastillstanding1.com or e-mail her at latinastillstanding@yahoo.com.
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rincón del arte
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Bodies and souls Anthony Vasquez, painter and muralist
Background: I was born and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I have been married for eight wonderful years to a very supportive woman with whom I am raising two inspiring children. Currently, I live and work in Scottsdale, and teach art at the Scottsdale Christian Academy. Training/influences: Growing up, I drew quite a lot but did not have much of an art background; my grandmother loves to show me old drawings she saved that I used to do while I sat next to her during church services. I studied art with an emphasis in studio painting under Eugene Schilling at Adams State University in southern Colorado. While there, I was encouraged to work diligently and pursue my own artistic style. Interestingly, during those early years as an undergraduate, I became somewhat homesick, not necessarily just for family, but more for the heritage of my family, for my culture, my roots. I found myself fascinated by the vibrant Mexican muralist movement and I quickly developed an interest in an expressionist style of painting and figurative narrative. I really loved the visual passion that came through in each new image I saw of Siqueiros’ and Orozco’s murals. Artistic intentions:
My approach as an artist has always been to convey a strong sense of emotion and truthfulness, in such a way that each person would understand my work through their own life and discover their own reflection in them. As for myself, I want to portray a sacred reality, hold on to it, and give it permanency. The reality that lies deep within my soul is something that cries out for redemption and restoration of an alliance between Creator and creation.
Recent projects: This past summer, I was given the opportunity to partner up with local artists, Bishop Ortega and Larry Valencia, to create a mural on the east side wall of Roosevelt Community Church in downtown Phoenix. Despite the challenges of painting during the hottest stretch in the summer, it was such a privilege to contribute to the flourishing mural scene established on Roosevelt Row. It was also really inspiring to visually
communicate with the community on such a large scale, just as the muralists of old had done. The fact that murals can be subjective and mean different things to different people is unavoidable and good. At the same time, my hope with this mural was to portray a redemptive truth that I hold.
Future plans: I am currently debating which type of continuing education I would like to pursue. From a technical standpoint, I most want to strengthen my understanding of painting and drawing the human figure. This past summer I had a great opportunity to meet with artist Bruce Herman. After viewing my work, he challenged me to focus on learning how to treat the figure more intellectually in order to round out my abilities and communicate to my audience better. I have enjoyed the challenge because it has forced me to get out of my comfort zone and stretch myself as an artist. Website: My work can be seen at anthonyvasquez.com
Help us highlight the local arts Send information to editor@latinopm.com. latinopm.com
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Tolleson - keeping up with success By Jonathan Higuera
N
estled on six square miles of land, the City of Tolleson has an impressive list of employers and economic development projects that belie its small size and population (6,500 residents). With its history firmly rooted in an agricultural past, this city in the southwest part of the Valley has reshaped itself into an industrial and economic powerhouse. The small community boasts employers hailing from 30 different Fortune 500 companies. Those companies include PepsiCo, which owns a Gatorade manufacturing plant there, Home Depot, which has warehouse operations, and long-time mainstays Kroger and Albertsons, grocery store behemoths with distribution plants inside city limits.
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During the workday, Tolleson’s population swells to 20,000 with workers commuting to their jobs. Since 2011, 23 projects have been completed, are under construction, or will be soon. Trucking dealerships, Freightliner of Arizona and Rush Trucking Center (a Peterbilt dealership), provide tax revenues to the city coffers, along with the American Italian Pasta Company and Bay State Milling, a Massachusettsbased flour company. None of these are the city’s largest employer. That distinction goes to JBS Packerland, Inc., a beef processor. The focus on attracting industrial development has allowed the city to get through the economic downturn of 2007-2009 relatively unscathed, note city leaders. “Our community was not reliant on those fickle sources of revenue:
retail and housing development,” says Paul Magallanez, the city’s economic development director. To be sure, the transition from agricultural to industrial town has been occurring over the past 20 to 30 years, anchored first by an Albertsons distribution center. During the boom years, when most of metro Phoenix was growing by leaps and bounds with housing developments and retail projects, Tolleson was successfully wooing the industrial projects that many other communities rejected. So, while the city would have liked more housing and retail projects, it relented on those goals and shifted its economic development focus to what it already had success with – attracting industrial projects that complemented its existing base of businesses. That
Leaders ensure that growth model works for residents
PHOTO BY JORGE QUINTERO
meant more warehouse distribution centers. “During the downturn there were not a lot of retail projects,” said Magallanez. “So, we shifted our focus to trying to do projects related to existing industries, specifically warehouse distribution. We experienced success even though the economy wasn’t cooperating.” Tolleson has a desirable location that makes it a magnet for transportationconscious businesses. There is easy access to Interstate 10 and Interstate 101, while Interstate 85 runs along the southern boundary and a Union Pacific-Southern Pacific Railway line runs freight service through the city. Many of the goods and services at the industrial facilities are either coming from, or headed to, California and other Southwestern destinations.
In addition to touting its location, Tolleson leaders also have made a concerted effort to be seen as business
The focus on attracting industrial development has allowed the city to get through the economic downturn of 2007-2009 relatively unscathed
friendly. “It boils down to how we value people,” says City Manager Reyes Medrano. “Nothing matters more to us than the relationships among people, the development community, other municipalities, our organizational family and the community of Tolleson.” Being straight shooters, he says, is one aspect of those relationships. “We’ll let you know if we think your business will be a good fit for us,” says Medrano. And, when it is a good fit, Tolleson has worked hard to eliminate red tape with respect to approving an industrial project. As Medrano puts it, “When we say our parcels are shovel ready, they literally are shovel ready.” City officials operate on the principle that, in business, time is money. “In the past, business people came in, filled out an application and went before latinopm.com
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the planning and zoning commission,” says Mayor Adolfo Gamez. “Now, if a business wants to come to Tolleson, they meet with the city manager. If he feels it is good for Tolleson, he takes it to the mayor and we fast track it.” Heading into his 19th year as mayor and 32nd year serving on the Tolleson City Council, Mayor Gamez asserts that the benefits of attracting business have paid off for residents. They get the full array of city services without facing a barrage of tax increases and city fees experienced by residents in other cities. And, these businesses typically do not put the same pressure on city services as a housing development would. To fund infrastructure improvements, the city received a $100 million general bond authorization in 2000. It has used those funds to expand and improve its wastewater treatment plant, build a stateof-the-art park (Tolleson Veterans Park on the east side of town), a second park and new police and fire stations, both of which are LEED certified. Veterans Park has turned into a gathering place for the community. Its Fourth of July show has featured entertainers such as Little Joe y La Familia and Tierra. The best part for residents is that 95 percent of the bond debt is being retired by taxes from businesses. In January, the city is set to break ground on its $9.2 million downtown revitalization project, Paseo de Luces. The goal is to spruce up the downtown area and make it a more attractive place for residents, and benefit the existing businesses there as well. Mayor Gamez looks back at Tolleson’s development and notes that its path to where it is today was different than what he expected. The son of a farmworker, Gamez grew up in the area; he attended Northern Arizona University but came back. Although he lost his first campaign for mayor by 10 votes in 1978, two years later, he won election to the City Council and has been a member ever since. 22
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“I just knew I wanted to come back and do something for the community. I never thought I’d be sitting down with heads of businesses and negotiating with them about coming to our community. It’s paid off.” In 1995, Gamez became Tolleson’s first mayor to be elected directly by voters. Previously, the mayor had been appointed by the town council. “One of first things I did as council member was to establish a Boys and Girls Club,” he recalled. “There was nothing for kids to do. We used to hang around Pete’s Fish and Chips or Dave’s Liquors. We needed to establish leadership programs for our kids.” To that end, he and other council members identified vacant land and were able to get a community development block grant to help build the $1.2 million Boys and Girls Club in the mid-1980s. A few years ago, the city spent about $500,000 to renovate the club. Today, the city owns the building and contributes about $150,000 annually to keep it operating. About 400 to 500 kids are served by the club. “It’s a safe place for kids to be and parents can pick them up after work,” notes Mayor Gamez. Without a doubt, tax revenues generated by the city’s industries have enabled Tolleson to provide this type of support to its citizens who, historically, have tended to be of lower socioeconomic status. “Everybody has to play the hand he’s dealt,” asserts Mayor Gamez. “It’s all about how you started. We started with industry ... It’s interesting to see how business follows business.” Despite success in attracting certain types of business, one that it has not been able to attract is the retail grocery store. Tolleson, with its 6,500 residents, has not met the threshold of 10,000 residents within one square mile of a store that is set by larger grocers. In surveys of residents, however, they repeatedly cite a grocery store as one of the city’s needs.
PHOTOS BY JORGE QUINTERO
Clockwise from upper left: City of Tolleson welcome sign; Bose Corporation building in Tolleson’s Mission Business Park; recently completed Tolleson Fire Station No. 1 and Fire Administration Building, certified LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council; American Italian Pasta Company production facility; Tolleson Union High School, established in 1927, is the oldest of the area high schools and the only one located within the city limits; the Woodrow C. Scoutten/Tolleson Branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix constructed in 1988; HDA Architects’ innovative design for the new Tolleson Police and Court Center; official seal for the City of Tolleson
“They [big grocers] fail to see what’s around us,” says Mayor Gamez. “Instead, they focus on what we have internally. We are in the middle of everything. We have all these developments around us. Between Avondale and Phoenix, there are 250,000 residents.” Nonetheless, Tolleson’s strong business presence has benefited the local education budget, even beyond the city boundary. The Tolleson Unified School District encompasses about 111 square miles and includes six high schools and four elementary schools. While only four of those schools are within the city limits, Tolleson property taxes contribute about 35 percent of the assessed valuation used to fund the District budget. “Once buildings are constructed in your community, property taxes are being paid,” said Magallanez.
Tolleson’s limited land availability means that there will be fewer economic development projects going forward. Already, the City Council is vetting proposed projects very carefully to make sure it fits with the city’s future goals. Another housing development could happen, depending on the specifics, but it would likely be high density. The area’s last housing project, Tolleson Meadows, went through some tough times during the recession but has bounced back recently. “We are 70 to 75 percent built out in our community,” notes Medrano. “We are getting very close. Our Council is extremely concerned about vetting new development to ensure that scarce real estate is developed in the best interests of the community.”
THE CITY OF TOLLESON
Reyes Medrano, Jr. City Manager
Adolfo Gamez Mayor
Paul Magallanez Economic Development Director
Tolleson’s first street lights, 1950, SRP
6,704
Population, 2012 estimate
6,545
Population, 2010
2.4%
Population change from April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012
10.3%
Persons under 5 years, 2010
35.6%
Persons under 18 years, 2010
9.0%
Persons 65 years and over, 2010
52.2%
Female persons, 2010
78.3%
Living in same house 1 year & over, 2007-2011
22.8%
Foreign-born persons, 2007-2011
70.6%
Language other than English spoken at home, age 5+, 2007-2011
54.5%
High school graduate or higher, persons age 25+, 2007-2011
3.5%
Bachelor’s degree or higher, persons age 25+, 2007-2011
282
Veterans, 2007-2011
25.6
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2007-2011
50.3%
Homeownership rate, 2007-2011
27.0%
Housing units in multi-unit structures, 2007-2011
Jose “Diego” Espinoza Council Member
Linda Laborin Vice Mayor
Juan F. Rodriguez Council Member
127,900 Median value of owner-occupied
$
5.75 Clorinda Erives Council Member
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Albert P. Mendoza Council Member
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Kathie Farr Council Member
housing units, 2007-2011
Land area in square miles, 2010
1,139.3 Persons per square mile, 2010 Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2010
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Common business management practices that generate waste
Movin’ Up GSACPC Women of Distinction Among the Girl Scouts Arizona – Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) 2013 Women and Young Women of Distinction are Sheree Lopez and Lisa Urias. Lopez, a senior at Centennial High School in Peoria, received the Courage Award for, among other achievements, organizing a program to help teens deal with cancer diagnoses – her Girl Scout Gold Award Project – after winning her own battle with cancer. Urias was given a Promise Award for exemplifying Girl Scout values in her professional activities as CEO of Urias Communications and her community service work as founder of the Real
Founder of the Real Arizona Coalition, Lisa Urias, receives Promise Award from Girls Scouts Arizona–Cactus-Pine Council
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¡!
movin’ up
Arizona Coalition. The awards ceremony, sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, takes place at a luncheon on November 16 at the Arizona Biltmore.
NSF Board honors Vasquez Dr. Johanna Vasquez received the National Science Board’s 2013 Public Service Award. She is one of the country’s foremost experts in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for grades K-12. Dr. Vasquez is currently Helios Education Foundation’s Vice President and Program Director for Arizona Transition Years, Teacher and Curriculum Initiatives. Prior to joining Helios, Dr. Vasquez served as Director of Professional Development and Outreach at Arizona State University’s Center for Research on Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology. She is the only K-12 educator ever appointed to the National Science Board, the governing board of the National Science Foundation (NSF), and has authored several books on science teaching.
ALAC welcomes four to board Four community leaders have recently joined the 12-member board of directors of the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC), a coalition of Latino artists and arts organizations that
promotes the Latino presence in Arizona. The new board members are: Kate Widland Gallego, Senior Analyst/ Strategic Planning, Salt River Project; Rebecca Jimenez, Mayor, Town of Guadalupe; Mario Trejo Romero, owner, The Melcher Agency; and Tio T. Tachias, consultant.
Adriana Garcia
Her grades and grit qualified her for this coveted position. Garcia was one of only 24 students nationwide to win a paid, 12-week internship from the Institute this fall.
D-backs honor HarperMarinick On September 14, 2013, the Arizona Diamondbacks hosted their 15th Hispanic Heritage Day. Since 2007, this celebration has included recognizing an outstanding Hispanic community leader with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Hispanic Community Leadership Award. This year the honor went to Maricopa Community Colleges’ Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Dr. Maria HarperMarinick.
GCU student interns for U.S. Congress
Lujan joins ACUPCC Steering Committee
The 21-year old Grand Canyon University (GCU) junior, Adriana Garcia, is working on Capitol Hill this fall in the office of Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D). The internship was awarded by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s scholarship program to help young Latinos acquire the leadership skills needed to represent Hispanic interests in the political arena. Garcia attends the Ken Blanchard College of Business at GCU on a President’s Scholarship. She is vice president of GCU’s Latino Student Union and has spent the last two years on Team Awesome, the youth group that has been so effective in getting out the Latino vote in Arizona.
The 2013-2014 Steering Committee for the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) now includes ChandlerGilbert Community College president, Linda Lujan. Lujan’s appointment to the Committee was predicated on her demonstrated ability to lead by example in the organization’s efforts to accelerate progress towards climate neutrality and sustainability in the higher education setting. Lujan, who will serve for two years, say she will represent all the Maricopa community colleges “examining the environmental impacts associated with all that we do.”
Carlos de la Torre
Newest Flinn-Brown Fellows The Selection Committee of the Leadership Council of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership named the 26 Arizonans who will participate in the 6th Flinn-Brown Leadership Academy. Among those chosen are: Carlos de
Movin’ Up Know someone who has been promoted, elected or honored? Send us the news of their achievements! Email movinup@latinopm.com 28
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la Torre, City Manager, City of Douglas; Tannya Gaxiola, Special Advisor to the President on Public Outreach, University of Arizona; Luis Heredia, Government Relations Director, Torres Consulting and Law Group; and Ricardo André Pereyda, veterans advocate. As Fellows of the Academy, they will attend the special seminar series conducted by experts from many fields in the public and private sectors, as well as receive advisement and support from the growing network of Fellows, to enhance the skills and knowledge required to analyze and assess public policy choices affecting Arizona’s future.
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entrepreneur
¡!
Market principles Lucia Schnitzer, co-owner of Luci’s Healthy Marketplace Founded: 2008 Elevator pitch: Luci’s Healthy Marketplace is a coffee bar and gourmet market specializing in organic, natural and local foods, gifts, and a quick-service breakfast and lunch menu with gluten-free and vegan options. What makes us great is our employees. They really care about what they do at Luci’s and the service they bring to our customers.
Why did you decide to start your business? I was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago when my daughter was six months old. This was a moment of clarity for me and my husband, Ken. As a result, Ken came up with the idea for Luci’s Healthy Marketplace. We wanted to make it a place for people to build their confidence to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
Career highlights: Our business began as an idea that was transformed into a breathing reality. I never would have guessed that I would be a mother of four, a breast cancer survivor and a successful business owner alongside my amazing husband. It is humbling when so many customers thank me for taking a leap of faith during a recession by putting Luci’s in our neighborhood. I’m currently working on a cookbook for busy families, empowering them to cook healthy meals. I have been featured on numerous TV segments as an expert in healthy food products and to do cooking demonstrations. Currently, I am a featured food columnist for Jewish Life magazine. Important business milestone: My husband and I had a daily sales figure in mind as an indication of success, and we hit that number two years ago, after we made the appropriate adjustments to our business and brought in operation guru, Jerry Mansoor. We were on the right track, but needed help raising the bar in consistency, which has had a direct impact on customer satisfaction.
Advice to others wanting to open their own business: Read The E-Myth by Michael Gerber. Make sure you have enough capital reserved for the unknown expenses that will arise. I guarantee they will
come, so, be prepared. Create a dream team of people around you that will support and enhance your business technically, intuitively and legally. Lastly, ask for help – reach out to those that can bring your business to the next level.
If you could do it all over again, what you would do differently? I needed to understand lease contracts better. I could have avoided putting up so much of our own money into tenants’ improvements.
Favorite aspect of owning a small business: Seeing a dream turn into a reality. Best advice you have received: Do something that scares you every day.
Company info and website:
Luci’s Healthy Marketplace, 1590 East Bethany Home Road, Phoenix, AZ 85014; lucishealthymarketplace.com
Suggest an entrepreneur Send your information to editor@latinopm.com.
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¡!
:
Out-dated business models create waste
Look out for the organizational pitfalls that diminish profit and productivity in today’s business world By Chris Majer
CONTEMPORARY MANAGEMENT THEORY AND PRACTICE
have ill prepared us to calibrate our enterprises to be competitive in the modern business world, which has been undergoing major tectonic shifts in recent years. Sadly, most business leaders are meeting these changes with puny, incremental or entirely misdirected responses. One critical thing that modern leaders must do is develop a new way to think about waste – that it is not a thing, but an interpretation. In other words, waste is not trash to be thrown out; it refers to the phenomena that diminish our capacity to do what matters to us. In the business world, waste kills productivity and profitability. What constitutes waste is situationally defined at specific points in time. What was wasteful yesterday may or may not be wasteful tomorrow. The wastes that have concerned the business world for the last 50 years (e.g., wasted movement, wasted time and wasted resources) are products of the traditions of the Industrial Revolution, particularly mass production. We no longer live in that world. We must now focus our attention on eliminating six “modern” wastes, the new pitfalls we must avoid to achieve productivity and profitability.
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Pitfall 1: Degenerative moods A mood is a predisposition for action. As human beings, moods are an inescapable aspect of life. Our moods are the bases upon which we assess the world, and from which we move in the world. All the variations of moods fall into one of two categories: generative and degenerative. Moods either do or do not generate possibilities, but it is in the world of possibilities that new futures are invented. Today, however, too many organizations are in the grip of degenerative moods. The workplace culture is often marked by some combination of distrust, resentment, resignation, cynicism, arrogance and/or complacency. Degenerative moods can lead to a wide range of unproductive behaviors, which, in
turn, waste vast quantities of resources while leaders are forced to work around or attempt to correct them. Degenerative moods are tremendous, yet invisible, killers of productivity and profitability. People simply cannot, or will not, perform to potential when their work environments are negative, unhappy places. Contemporary management theory rarely recognizes the importance of moods and the impact they can have on productivity and profitability. Much has been written about morale, but current corporate wisdom has little to offer beyond citing motivation and engagement at work, strategies that have proven to be largely ineffective. Data from Gallup indicate that a whopping 71 percent latinopm.com
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briefcase
of American workers are “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” in their work. This means they are unhappy with their organizations, emotionally disconnected from their workplaces, and less likely to be productive. Gallup reports that employee disengagement costs American companies about $350 billion annually. Mood isn’t the only thing affecting workplace performance, but, if you don’t get this right, nothing else you do is going to matter. No other structural change can overcome deeply entrenched, degenerative moods.
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Pitfall 2: Listening vs. hearing To truly listen does not mean merely hearing or paying attention. Listening is a type of active interpretation that shapes our realities. The often unrecognized skill of listening is critical in the new business world. By creating and/or tolerating workplace conditions in which people cannot effectively listen to one another, we kill productivity and profitability. The lack of listening can be the result of degenerative moods, in addition to technology (which can make it difficult for some people to actually talk to others), or just a lack of competence in verbal skills. Whatever the reason, when people do not listen to one other, it becomes all but impossible to accomplish anything significant or make effective changes. According to the International Listening Association, more than 35 studies have shown that listening is a top skill needed for success in business. Yet, less than two percent of professionals have had formal training related to improving their listening skills. Too many organizations today have nurtured a range of practices in which creativity, innovation and the open expression of our thoughts and feelings about our work and futures are ignored or spurned. Thus, lack of listening is a tremendous source of waste.
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Pitfall 3: Bureaucratic style For many, bureaucracy is a bad word, synonymous with “red tape” and wasted time. In spite of these
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negative associations, most companies still operate bureaucratically, demanding that employees work within increasingly complex structures with highly standardized processes and procedures designed to optimize control by those at the top. While this might have been the most efficient way to train assembly line workers during the Industrial Era, human capital is now the greatest resource for most companies; we pay people to think, innovate and collaborate with others in order to achieve the best results. A high level of performance won’t be realized if managers attempt to dictate employees’ every behavior. The fall of many of our great companies – including GM, Chrysler, AT&T, DEC, and a host of others – is a testimony to bureaucratic blindness. Unfortunately, contemporary management theory offers no alternatives
to this style of organizing work and designing organizational structures. Hierarchical systems – no matter how lean and “matrixed” – are relicts of WWIIera industrialization models. In the new business world, bureaucratic practices are becoming increasingly dangerous. They not only kill productivity and profitability, they also kill the generative moods of ambition, confidence and trust that are essential to building consistent competitive advantage.
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Pitfall 4: Worship of information In the mad rush to make enterprises more efficient, we have mistakenly come to accept that information is our most valuable commodity. Information is useless, however, without people to interpret it.
briefcase These days, computers can do just about anything except think for themselves. Still, we foster the illusion that the essential matters of work can be invented, managed and sustained through the creation, storage, retrieval, display and publication of information. Contemporary IT systems are blind to many of the key drivers of productivity and often fail to integrate the diverse operations of a company. By making information the priority, we have lost sight of its fundamental purpose – to enable people to address the concerns of their customers effectively. IT systems should not be employed as replacements for people, rather they should be aimed at enabling the human cooperation, collaboration and innovation that are essential to growing a business. No IT system can be a substitute for the passion, creativity and spontaneity of people, which are essential to generating competitive advantage. As people grapple with the inadequacies of modern IT systems, they find themselves unavoidably generating waste and unproductive moods. According to one study, workers reported, on average, wasting 42 to 43 percent of their computer time due to frustrating experiences.
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Pitfall 5: Suppressing innovation Bureaucracy and lack of listening create working environments that stifle the creativity and innovation that make human capital so valuable. An organization that cannot innovate is dead. Many managers confuse the occasional “lightning strike” of a new idea or product innovation with a culture that fosters innovation. But, if this were the case, then innovation would not be something that happens only once in a while, Innovation should be viewed as a critical competence that needs to be developed and rewarded among the workforce. The greatest enemy of innovation is modern
management. Contemporary management practices stress stability and predictability, and avoiding surprises or “problems.” But innovation is unpredictable, even disruptive. Thus, in many organizations, innovators are largely suppressed for the sake of “productivity.” Ironically, this only kills productivity in the long run.
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Pitfall 6: Modern indentured servitude Today’s world is one of sharp contrasts. As a society, we have more choices, opportunities and prosperity than at any other point in human history. Yet, we also seem more dissatisfied and despondent than ever before. In fact, according to the Mental Health America organization, more than 21 million Americans are depressed, and cost U.S. companies more than $31 billion each year in lost productivity. A key contributor to this malaise is our contemporary view of work – that it is an endless series of “things to do,” which have commercial value for the enterprise but little value to the worker. Inadvertently, we have created a kind of “modern indentured servitude.” We sell ourselves into service in exchange for a paycheck and have only fleeting “real” lives outside of work. Many people feel trapped by their need to make a living, prepare for retirement, support families, and deal with modern life. The business community gives little consideration to ways of having work bring meaning to people’s lives. A view of work as nothing more than modern feudalism turns people’s working lives into a futile search for meaning instead of a source of satisfaction and inspiration. Those inhabiting the executive floors likely have trouble identifying this phenomenon, all the while being unconsciously responsible for it. They are the ones who originate the structures, operations, moods and measures of success that create it. One of the modern symptoms of this mess
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is the degenerative mood of “feeling overwhelmed.” The narrative for this feeling goes like this: There is too much to do, too little time, and too many things pulling at me. I don’t have enough energy for this, and it is never going to stop. The resignation and panic generated by the feeling of being overwhelmed are great wastes and effective killers of productivity and profitability. No enterprise can survive for long with an organizational culture that produces a perception of modern indentured servitude among workers.
Chris Majer is the author of The Power to Transform: Passion, Power, and Purpose in Daily Life, which teaches the strategies that corporate, military and sports leaders have used to transform themselves and their organizations in ways that readers can adapt to their own lives and professions. He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington, and has studied extensively with Chilean engineer, entrepreneur and politician, Dr. Fernando Flores.
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Meet Estrella Soto Full-time student at South Mountain Community College, a Maricopa Community College
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Forging a firefighter family Training program with a focus on relationships By Joan Westlake
he always knew he wanted to do. The choice of career that would allow him to achieve that goal became clear through the influence of his high school football coach, who was a firefighter, and a good friend, who also became a first responder. “I started researching and went for some ridealongs,” Gonzalez said. “The first day I spent at the station with the guys; it was exciting and I knew every day would be different. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a firefighter.” Currently, Gonzalez works in the EMT/Fire Science office at Phoenix College, volunteers for the Fire Science Program and is a reserve firefighter in the Harquahala Valley Fire District, west of Phoenix. He earned his Associate’s Degree in Emergency Response and Operations at Phoenix College and also completed the Firefighter I and II Academies in the spring of 2009. “Those I knew in the field told me,” he explained, “that if I wanted a good chance to be hired by the Phoenix Fire Department, I should get involved with Phoenix College, because nine out of ten of their instructors are Phoenix firefighters. Plus, the Firefighter I and II certifications taught through Phoenix College are the best in the state, not only because of the regimen that they follow, but, also because they are taught by Phoenix Fire personnel at the Phoenix Firefighter Training Academy.”
Networking opportunities In addition to the learning experience, Gonzalez says networking opportunities within the first responder community at Phoenix College are boundless. From 30 to 35 percent of the Phoenix College fire science graduates find jobs in departments across the nation.
PHOTO BY ALFREDO HERNANDEZ/PHOENIX COLLEGE
RAMON GONZALEZ SAYS HELPING PEOPLE IS SOMETHING
In the Fire Science Program at Phoenix College are (left to right): Ramon Gonzalez, Director Dennis Dodt and Ron Trujillo
“We tell our students that, from the very first day they walk into class, this is your first interview to become a firefighter,” said Dennis Dodt, who retired after 22 years as a Phoenix firefighter and is now director of the Phoenix College Fire Science Program. “Our instructors are asked by their colleagues about the students’ characters, as well as how they performed in class.” latinopm.com
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Dodt emphasized that it is important for those looking to have a career as first responders to understand that they are professionals and role models 24/7. It is a way of life, not just a job. Phoenix College’s partnership with the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) goes back more than four decades. In 2008, the Maricopa County Community College District, of which Phoenix College (PC) is the flagship institution, invested in the PFD Training Academy, which allows PC and Paradise Valley Community College to use its resources. In addition to instructors who are firefighters, the partnership ensures that the most upto-date equipment and techniques are available to students. The program not only prepares recruits to pass the written tests, but also imparts the physical and mental skills they will need. Once they become firefighters, there are additional classes and certifications to help with promotions. Dodt points out that several of the Maricopa Community Colleges, such as Chandler-Gilbert, Paradise Valley, Mesa, Estrella Mountain and Glendale, have departments in their geographic areas that have relationships with the Fire Science Program.
Trujillo has already completed his Associate’s Degree in Emergency Response and Operations and has gone through the Training Academy at Phoenix College. He has just applied to test for the PFD as well as other departments throughout the country. Because so many of the College’s instructors are from the PFD, Trujillo says that he has felt confident, ever since the first day of class, that he has been establishing a good reputation within the community. “Over the past few years, more and more veterans have come to further their education at Phoenix College,” said college president, Anna Solley. “It seems that many of those who have been in the military now look for a way to continue that duty to our nation and their communities by becoming first responders. We welcome the maturity and dedication they bring to our Fire Science and EMT Programs and we are honored to help them reach their admirable goals of continued service.”
First responder family In addition to the activity level and the meaningfulness of the work, Trujillo
found the camaraderie and close knit ties among the first responder community to be very attractive. He describes himself as family oriented. With his experience as a veteran, he is often like a big brother to the younger men and women in training. “Being a veteran was a real advantage going through the amazing I and II Academies,” Trujillo said. “As a Marine, I come from a teamwork mindset where we all come together and do what it takes to get things done so we can all go home together. It helps me mold into the unit and, for the younger students, I can help guide them with how to keep pushing it and keeping their heads up. Some of them have never had to push themselves beyond their limits. I see other veterans doing this, too. We don’t want to keep our experiences to ourselves; we share like we would in a family.” The family ethos of the first responder extends beyond the job into their social and personal lives. Trujillo says he was just invited to be in the wedding of a buddy with whom he has been going through training at the Academy.
Ron Trujillo, a Marine deployed in both Iraq and Afghanistan, said that working an office job held no appeal for him. He knew he would need to be active. To be a first responder with new and rewarding challenges every day seemed an ideal way to do something he loved for a living. While in high school, Trujillo heard that people from all over the region came to first responder training at Phoenix College, but it was financially advantageous for him to go into the Marines first. A staff sergeant and a close friend who are firefighters furthered his resolve to become one himself. 38
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PHOTO BY EILEEN ARCHIBALD/PHOENIX COLLEGE
Veteran advantages
Phoenix Fire Department Training Academy
PHOTO BY EILEEN ARCHIBALD/PHOENIX COLLEGE
Training for firefighters is an on-going process as new technologies are introduced; the partnership between students and professionals, exemplified in the Phoenix College Fire Science Program, helps everyone keep up
Valley Hispanic Bomberos Mentoring potential firefighters is one of the many activities of the esteemed Valley Hispanic Bomberos. Those with an interest in becoming first responders can attend seminars and take free practice tests sponsored by the organization. The group began to take shape in the late 1980s, a time during which there were a lot of fires in Central and South Phoenix. Members of PFD who worked in these areas and spoke Spanish were approached by the council members to help with the situation. The firefighters went out into the community and found a lack of knowledge about fire safety. For example, where electricity was not available, residents were using candles for light sources or using extension cords from house to house. Old space heaters with faulty wires were heating multi-family residences. In 1991, the Valley Hispanic Bomberos was created,
an organization of firefighters dedicated to giving back to the communities in which they live and work. City of Phoenix firefighter and Public Information Officer, Ruben Saavedra, a member of the group’s executive board and a graduate of the Phoenix College Fire Science program, says that, although Los Bomberos embrace the rich history and culture of the fire service and Hispanic heritage, the organization welcomes and serves all. The group now includes associate members.
Fire Science scholarships Although Saavedra says that most news about the Bomberos’ activities is spread by word-of-mouth, those interested can find information about regular meetings on their website – vhbomberos.org. In addition to holiday giving functions, such as adopt-afamily, they sponsor fundraising events to support scholarships to fire science
programs and proactive community outreach. Dennis Dodt, the director of PC’s Fire Science Program, acknowledges the many contributions of the Bomberos in the form of scholarships to PC students and having members of the association assist with classes. Recently, the endowment process for the Brad Harper Memorial Scholarship was initiated. In May 2013, Harper, a PC graduate, was killed in a tragic accident. Dodt reports that more than $2,000 has been raised so far, but there is a way to go to reach the $10,000 needed for the endowment to fund scholarships. Donations can be made by contacting the Phoenix College Development Office at pcscholarship@phoenixcollege.edu. To find more information about the Phoenix College Fire Science Program, go to phoenixcollege.edu/academics/ programs/fire-science or e-mail dennis.dodt@phoenixcollege.edu.
Have an education story idea? Send your information to editor@latinopm.com.
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A-plus police work Gabriel R. Gomez, Juvenile Unit Detective/School Resource Officer, City of Tempe Police Department Years of service: 5 years, 11 months Education/training: Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice; Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Forensic Science from New Mexico State University-Las Cruces
Career highlights: My most memorable experiences with the Tempe Police Department include being promoted to Detective in November, 2010, and being assigned as the School Resource Officer for McClintock High School. For two summers, I was asked to assist the Department’s Criminal Apprehension Team and thoroughly enjoyed my experiences with them. I received two commendations for locating outstanding suspects while not being dispatched to assist with the investigations. I have also initiated and assisted with numerous investigations utilizing my ability to speak Spanish both before and after receiving departmental certification as a Spanish Interpreter. In 2005, before joining the Tempe Police Department, I completed the Special Agent Training Program for the Department of Defense and became a Counterintelligence Investigator and later a Counterintelligence Presenter. Prior to this, I was a group leader and, later, Program Director of Aqui Se Puede, an after-school program for at-risk teens. During this time, I was a Graduate Assistant within the Criminal Justice Program and instructed a college-level course.
Why did you decide to pursue this career? I always held those with careers in law enforcement in the highest regard, including my father who was employed for 27 years with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In my upbringing, the importance of assisting others was a core family value. A career in law enforcement has allowed me to realize that value in action every day.
Valuable learning experience:
Advice to others considering serving our community: Family first. At the
As a School Resource Officer at McClintock High School, I was able to assist a student and his mother get out of a violent home life. The student later asked for a letter of recommendation as he was initially declined admission to the University of Arizona. After complying with this request, I was called by the University’s Dean of Admissions who was attempting to locate the student. She shared that he was being accepted, and I was able to give him the good news in my office. This experience helped me understand that our work in the police department can be, and is, utilized in so many more ways than is commonly perceived by the general public.
end of the day, it is your family for whom you work. Keeping them in mind will make getting home to them at the end of your shift the most important part of your day. Stay positive. This job will make the strongest men and women cry and can make a pessimist out of anyone if you allow it to. You must have a sense of humor, but know your limits. Making others laugh is a highly valuable form of communication and this job is nothing without effective communication. Smile and laugh throughout your day; if not, you’re in for some long days. And, like the At-Risk Teen Program taught me, make it possible to say “aquí se puede” wherever you are.
Nominate a candidate
Help us acknowledge those who serve. Men and women currently in the military or first responders. Send your info to editor@latinopm.com. latinopm.com
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Q: I know it’s important to eat healthy, especially in order to prevent cancer. What should I do when I grill? A: Keep these things in mind when you grill: • Incorporate a variety of plant rich dishes • Shift emphasis toward a more plant rich diet of grains, vegetables and fruits • Grill vegetables away from the open flame in order to reduce cancer causing flare-ups Prepare foods correctly to enjoy the best possible flavor, texture, color and overall nutritional value • Using certain spices, like cumin, when grilling can decrease cancer causing compounds • Marinating meats, fish and poultry in a citrus rich in vitamin C helps properly cook proteins and decrease the formation of cancer causing substances • Use safe cooking temperatures on the grill: Ground beef and pork: 160º F Whole poultry and thighs: 180º F Poultry breast: 170º F Seafood and Fish: 145º F
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Kids with autism can catch up Developmental delays can be offset by early intervention and culturally-competent caregivers By Beth Trevino, M.D.
AS A DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICIAN, I HAVE BUILT A
career around my passion to make a difference in the lives of children, their families and the communities in which they live. I’ve treated countless patients and, although each family is unique, some stories are simply burned into your memory. I’d like to share one of those stories.
Brandon’s story I met Brandon when he was just two years old. His life challenges began early. His father died soon after Brandon’s birth, and his mother’s departure was soon to follow. Brandon’s mother left him with his grandma to go to the store, but never came back for him. Grandma was now “stuck” with a child who could not communicate, still used a bottle and was far behind on all of the typical doctor’s appointments most children have by his age. The most memorable characteristic was Brandon’s behavior. This child was out of control. Brandon couldn’t help but climb on all of the office furniture, open and rifle through each drawer, and grab every piece of medical equipment within his reach. Brandon was wired differently. Rather than being a child eager to please and work for praise, he was a child that no babysitter could stand after the first day. Grandma left her job because she had exhausted every child care option in the book. Soon after, she lost the apartment when she couldn’t make rent. As if this weren’t enough to overcome, I diagnosed him with a fairly common condition – autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It can be a daunting task for families who have children with special needs to access the treatment services and resources needed to help their child succeed. These services can seem out of reach for a grandma like Brandon’s, who only speaks Spanish.
Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a study that looked at ASD and Latino children. This study, as well as several others, found that Latino children are diagnosed with autism later in life than non-Hispanic children. These delays are likely due to language differences between pediatricians and families. Fortunately for Brandon, he found one of a handful of developmental pediatricians in the country that speaks Spanish. Speaking like a member of the family gives me latinopm.com
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The ins and outs of business credit scores A business credit score is separate from your personal score. Learn the differences and similarities, and why it’s important to maintain both.
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an advantage by improving my ability to partner with the family to create a plan of care which is understood by the parents, benefits the child and allows the implementation of early developmental intervention services available for all children.
Early intervention is critical Brandon’s grandmother understood what was best for her grandson. She had dreams of his attending school, interacting with peers and actually enjoying these activities. She listened carefully as I explained the critical period of brain development for children when developmental skills have the potential for catch-up growth. When a developmental or behavioral delay is identified before the age of six, therapeutic interventions can actually influence brain connections and change brain structure. When initiated early, therapies act as medicine. The earlier you start, the easier it is to make developmental gains. Brandon received early intervention services at two years old and, so, was on his way to change his trajectory for life and learning forever.
Developmental skills are what determine a person’s intellectual potential or IQ. However, due to the manner in which the brain develops, a person’s IQ is not completely set until they are about six years old. At two years old, when I met Brandon, his predicted IQ was 57; the average IQ is between 85 and 115. After seven months of early intervention, Brandon’s predicted IQ had risen by 16 points to 73. He had improved so much that he no longer qualified for government-funded, early intervention services after he reached three years old. Motivated by the progress evident in Brandon’s communication skills and behavior, yet still a bit nervous that he might regress without routine intervention, his grandma and I worked together to identify free community resources and home developmental stimulation strategies that grandma could implement herself. After six months of only home developmental stimulation, Brandon’s IQ continued to rise to 82, with time left to increase further. Even better was his behavioral transformation; he was now a child who could sit at a table and attend to a task. This happened just in
time for him to enter pre-school at three years old. At this point, he was able to recognize his own accomplishments and it was beautiful to see the pride on his face when he did. His grandmother was just as proud. The adult that had invested so much time and energy into his brain development had now become his “mom.” It was not a surprise when she decided to adopt him. Only seven months of early intervention, initiated at the right time, changed this child’s life. Even if he hadn’t improved one bit after three and a half years old, he would still be a “B” student. I am blessed to be a part of changes like this one every day. These types of positive changes in a child’s life influence future academic performance, graduation rates, future earning potential and the cycle of poverty for the whole community. That is something to which we can all be proud to contribute.
Preemptive practices You don’t have to be a developmental pediatrician to make a difference like this every day. Any pediatrician or family physician can, and should, screen for autism spectrum disorders and developmental delays using standardized screening tools. These tools are available
in many languages, and it is important to remember to screen in the native language whenever possible. Surprisingly, less than 30 percent of the pediatricians surveyed in the latest AAP study reported doing this. Once identified, a physician must have a plan to make referrals to the Arizona Early Intervention Program or any local school district so that ameliorative action may be taken immediately. I have shared various forms to do this with the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The last thing to remember is to follow up in order to ensure appropriate acquisition of treatment services. I hope you now understand why a two-year-old child with a language delay is not one that you should only see back at the next well-check after a year’s time. The best thing that parents can do is build a relationship with one primary care pediatrician or family physician. Having this stable relationship – a “medical home” – is crucial for young children. A child’s doctor does more than give important vaccines, or give your child a new book during their annual well-check; they closely monitor your child’s development. This is difficult to follow over time if the same doctor is not seen at each visit. Having a stable, long-term relationship with your child’s doctor will help them better help your child. Beth Trevino, M.D., is board certified in pediatrics and fellowship trained in developmental-behavioral pediatrics. She has experience practicing developmental pediatrics in a community clinic setting and has a special interest in underserved populations. Dr. Trevino currently practices as a developmental pediatrician in the Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. She is a member of the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AzAAP), a professional association made up of pediatricians dedicated to improving the health of Arizona’s children and supporting the pediatric professionals who care for them.
G O FA R , CL OSE T O H O M E .
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Loved Ones Depend on You The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) can help you with your Medicare questions. Trained SHIP Counselors provide free personalized benefits counseling for Medicare Beneficiaries and their families or caregivers. Ask how the Medicare Savings Program can help pay for Medicare premiums and prescription drug costs if you meet certain conditions. Se habla español.
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call 1-800-432-4040
Equal Opportunity Employer/Program • Under Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI & VII), and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008; the Department prohibits discrimination in admissions, programs, services, activities, or employment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics and retaliation. The Department must make a reasonable accommodation to allow a person with a disability to take part in a program, service or activity. For example, this means if necessary, the Department must provide sign language interpreters for people who are deaf, a wheelchair accessible location, or enlarged print materials. It also means that the Department will take any other reasonable action that allows you to take part in and understand a program or activity, including making reasonable changes to an activity. If you believe that you will not be able to understand or take part in a program or activity because of your disability, please let us know of your disability needs in advance if at all possible. To request this document in alternative format or for further information about this policy, contact 602-5424446; TTY/TDD Services: 7-1-1. • Free language assistance for DES services is available upon request. This publication has been produced by Arizona with financial assistance, in whole or in part, through a grant from the AoA and the CMS. These contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the grantee should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
Route of the vine
Fall is the season for road trips – and what more inviting destination than a vineyard!
PHOTO COURTESY OF VERDE VALLEY WINE TRAIL
By Virginia Betz
THE NUMBER OF SMALL, FAMILY-OPERATED WINERIES THAT
have emerged in Arizona over the last twenty years is nothing short of phenomenal. The number of wineries has quadrupled since the late 1990s; a recent count puts the number of licensed wineries at 45. Presumably, as mining and ranching ventures became less tenable, people began to regard the landscape and its productive potential with new eyes. Terrain not suitable for growing agricultural staples is often excellent for viticulture. Today, there are three principal wine growing areas in Arizona: the Sonoita region of southern Arizona centered on the towns of Sonoita and Elgin – the only officially designated American Viticultural Area (AVA) in the state; the Willcox region in Cochise County, which produces the greatest quantity of grapes in Arizona; and the Verde Valley region in the environs of Sedona and Cottonwood, which has the largest collection of tasting rooms. The uplands of southeastern and central Arizona also offer attractive landscapes that, along with the balmy fall weather, will make your wine tour more pleasurable. The wineries chosen for inclusion here are only a sample of the many wineries in Arizona, but all those listed here are open to the 50
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public for wine tastings on a frequent basis and have a focus on “estate” wines, i.e., those produced on the land where they were grown. All their websites provide detailed directions for how to get there and most supply the names of other nearby wineries and attractions. Novice wine tasters are encouraged to check out Wine Enthusiast magazine’s website at winemag.com/how-to-taste-wine.
Sonoita AVA Kief-Joshua Vineyards 370 Elgin Road, Elgin, AZ 85611; 520-455-5582; kiefjoshuavineyards.com Tasting room is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cost: $8 (with souvenir wineglass); $5 (if you bring your own glass) Vintner Kief Manning, who usually hosts the wine tastings, is a champion of environmentally friendly farming. His vineyards are free of herbicides and pesticides. Sustainable practices, such as attracting wild, predatory birds to control animal pests and letting sheep do the majority of the weeding, are employed. Manning also adheres to traditional methods of barrel aging. The proprietor also
conducts private wine tasting events organized around special themes such as the proper techniques of wine-tasting and how to pair food and wine. Callaghan Vineyards 336 Elgin Road, Elgin AZ 86611; 520-455-5322; CallaghanVineyards.com Tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: $10 for six wine tastings (and 21 oz. wineglass) Owner/vintner Kent Callaghan, with a Ph.D. in philosophy, was one of the pioneers of the “new wave” in wine-making, having established his winery early in the 1990s. Their consistently high-rated wines were chosen for official White House dinners on three occasions. Callaghan is an inveterate experimenter with varietal blends and the November wine tastings feature new red wine releases. Visitors to the tasting room can get a glimpse of the wine-making process and, perhaps, have a chance to chat with the owner.
Willcox area Coronado Vineyards 2909 E. Country Club Drive, Willcox, AZ 85643; 520-384-2993; coronadovineyards.com Tasting room/Tapas Lounge open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., and on Sunday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: $7 for six wine tastings (includes souvenir wineglass) In 2005, managing partners, Mark and Jacque Cook, planted the first vines at El Pinito vineyard on a former golf course. Today, the winery offers a heady selection of beverages including their signature Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese (reds) and Chardonnay and Reisling (whites), as well as a number of dessert wines. Keeling-Schaefer Vineyards 154 Railroad Avenue, Willcox AZ 85643; 520-766-0600; keelingschaefervineyards.com
Tasting room open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $7 for current release tastings (with souvenir wineglass) The vineyards are located in the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains near Pearce, Arizona, but you only have to go as far as the town of Willcox to sample the winery’s latest vintages. All are exclusively estate grown and bottled by KeelingSchaefer. Group visits to the actual vineyards can be arranged by appointment; call 520-824-2500.
Verde Valley Alcantara Vineyards 34445 S. Grapevine Way, Cottonwood, AZ 86326; 928-649-8463 Tasting room open seven days a week, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cost: $15 (with souvenir wineglass) Alcantara’s vineyards were the first established along the Verde River and are presently one of the largest wine grape growers in central Arizona. Twelve different varietals are cultivated to produce an impressive range of red and white wines. Food can be purchased in the tasting room on Saturdays and Sundays. The sedate architecture and lovely setting of the facility [see photo on page 54] make it a popular choice for wedding receptions. Javelina Leap Winery 1565 Page Springs Road, Cornville, AZ 86325; 928-649-2681; Tasting room is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Cost: $8 for a four-wine tasting flight; $3 for premium tastings Javelina Leap is located on the steep slopes of an extinct volcano overlooking Oak Creek in Page Springs Valley. Owners, Rod and Cynthia Snapp, cultivate Syrah, Zinfandel, and Merlot on site, among other varietals, to produce awardwinning wines. Visitors can obtain solid refreshment to accompany their wine choices Sunday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, which they can enjoy in the casual comfort of the Arizona Room/CrushPad or the garden patio.
Fifth Annual Wine Festival at the Farm For wine fanciers with neither the time nor inclination for touring, you can get it all at one time, in one place – the Arizona Wine Growers Festival at the Farm on Saturday, November 16 from 1 to 5 p.m. It’s a superwine-tasting event, with 30 members of the Arizona Wine Growers Association showcasing their wares. A picnic lunch, participatory seminars conducted by the experts, a silent auction and a live auction featuring chef–winemaker pairings are some of the activities on the agenda.
The Farm at South Mountain is located at 6106 South 32nd Street, Phoenix 85042. Tickets cost $65 per person in advance (festivalatthefarm.chirrpy.com), $75 at the gate. More details about the schedule, designated driver discounts, and the Grand Tasting at Quiessence restaurant on the evening of November 15 can be found at azwinefestivalatthefarm. com or call 623-236-2338.
latinopm.com
¡ November 2013!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
51
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P.S.
Stella Pope Duarte
The thin line By Stella Pope Duarte
THERE IS A THIN LINE THAT RUNS
through the Latino culture that has nothing to do with real lines drawn by a pencil or pen. This is the invisible line that hovers between earthly life and spiritual life, so faint as to be almost imperceptible. Craving a conversation with a deceased relative is the same to us as wanting to call or text a friend we see almost everyday. This craving for relationship shows up in a huge way every November as we celebrate el Día de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead is celebrated in many parts of the world beginning at midnight, October 31, and extending to November 2, the official celebration of All Souls Day by the Catholic Church. November 1st is set apart for children who have died. They are honored in the vigil de los angelitos, meaning they are considered angels in heaven. In the ancient Mexica world, the celebration started at the beginning of August. The belief is that death is not the end but the beginning of a new stage in life. Our indigenous ancestors even kept calaveras (skulls) “around the house,” so to speak, to remind them of their loved ones. This custom is seen in
an abbreviated and, at times, comical way in Día de los Muertos celebrations when people don costumes and wear calacas, or skull masks, in honor of the deceased. If someone is inclined to write a poem or tribute to a deceased relative or friend, they may do so by writing a calavera, which serves as a “love letter” that zooms through the spiritual world instantaneously and is believed to be “heard” by the loved one. The line gets thinner as people decorate grave sites with flowers, specifically marigolds (or cempaxochitl in Nahuatl, meaning “twenty flowers”). This flower, also called the flor de muerto, or “flower of the dead,” is thought to attract the souls of the dead to the offerings brought by family members. Offerings may be the deceased’s own brand of beer, cookies, a bag of potato chips, toys, or a bottle of water to ease thirst. It is believed that spirits eat the “spiritual essence” of the food. Rosaries are said, and pillows and blankets may be set up so the deceased can rest after their long journey. Candles, pictures of Christ, the Blessed Virgin and saints may be used to adorn graves. At times, dancers wear shells on their clothing as they dance, hoping to “wake up the dead.” Some may dress in
costumes that depict how the deceased looked in real life. Pan de muerto, or “bread of the dead,” is baked and decorated with crossbones in white frosting. An artistic person might also try their hand at making a sugar skull, decorating it and placing the name of their loved one on it. Tío Chuco’s wrecked-up life on earth would now taste sweeter in the afterworld, and fond memories of him would return to those on earth. My older sister, seeing a shadowy figure in our living room at home one evening, reported that she had seen Tata sitting in his favorite chair. My mother was not alarmed. There was no need to take her daughter to the psychiatrist; the question was this: “Was he wearing his hat?” My sister answered, “Yes.” And my mom smiled, “Yes, of course, Tata never went out without his hat. Wonder where he’s headed?” Elaborate altars are the very “in” thing to celebrate el Día de los Muertos, and are designed every year to remember those who have gone to the next stage of life, crossing the thin line that separates us from them.
Stella Pope Duarte was born and raised in South Phoenix. She began her award-winning career in 1995 after she had a dream in which her deceased father told her that her destiny was to become a writer. Contact her at stellapopeduarte.com. latinopm.com
¡ November 2013!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
53
¡!
my perspective on: the “Move On When Ready” legislation
Retention no solution for slow learners in K-3 By Juan Medrano, Ed.D.
More perspectives
Send us your perspective on whatever moves you. Email editor@latinopm.com.
AS THE “MOVE ON WHEN
54
Ready” legislation (A.R.S. 15701) is about to be implemented, letters to parents warning them of the possibility that their child could be retained in grade is a stressful event that happens with greater frequency. It brings back memories of my first-grade playground and hearing my peers call retained students “flunkers” – no doubt an experience that encourages a child’s self-concept to center around their ability to succeed or not. For many of these unnamed peers, it was the beginning of a gradual process of educational disengagement that would lead to dropping out of high school eight to ten years after having suffered the jeering taunts at the first-grade playground. A piercingly menacing article, “No free pass for third graders,” by Cathryn Creno (2013, azcentral.com/news/ arizona/articles/20131004) states that up to 1,500 eightand nine-year-old third-grade students are projected to be retained at the conclusion of the 2013-2014 school year. Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, John Huppenthal, has championed the Move On When Ready law with undoubtedly noble intentions to raise student achievement and eliminate social promotion. Also stated in Creno’s article is how the state of Florida’s version of Move On When Ready, enacted in 2001, has resulted in some gains in reading achievement. Superficially, those data seem to suggest that the law would unquestionably benefit children and communities – right? While our state’s Superintendent has cited some benefits associated with retention, it is important that the counternarrative, backed by decades of research, be more widely disseminated and considered as we prepare for this law to go into effect. The claim that retention increases student achievement needs closer scrutiny with respect to cause and effect. As children mature, they will likely grow in knowledge and perform better on repeated material simply by virtue of being one year older. Furthermore, studies show that achievement gains attributed to retention are often shortlived and taper off as students progress through school.
Latino Perspectives Magazine
¡ November 2013!
latinopm.com
Of even greater import is the research that documents the trends for children subjected to retention to have a higher drop-out rate in high school, to have increased rates of absenteeism, and to be more likely to engage in problem behavior. The 2001 statute “Just Read, Florida!,” the seeming blueprint for Move On When Ready, has also been shown in some studies to be correlated with increased behavior problems and out-of-school suspensions among students subjected to retention as a result of this law. Given the realities revealed by this brief counternarrative, it is difficult to unquestioningly accept that Move On When Ready is in the best interests of children. A concurrence of research findings highlights that minority children living in poverty, primarily Black and Hispanic males, are the most frequently affected by retention. Given the strong association of retention with dropping out of high school and the persistently high dropout rate of economically disadvantaged and minority students, we must seriously question whether short-term gains in test scores is worth the long-term negative consequences associated with dropping out of high school. There are more productive avenues to pursue to support our students’ academic development. These include: fully-funded, all-day preschool; fully-funded, all-day kindergarten; quality before- and after-school programs; quality summer school programs; and respect for language and cultural diversity as assets. These worthwhile resources demand that we hold our elected officials accountable for a dismal record of disinvesting in public education. Arizona ranks third nationally in the level of draconian cuts to our education budget (over 17 percent since 2008). Our state continually ranks near the bottom in per-pupil expenditures at around $3,000 per pupil lower than the national average of about $10,560 per child, and receiving only 36 percent of our state education budget compared with the national average of 44 percent. Many worthwhile investments do not require retention and provide our students and communities what they deserve – the highest quality education possible. Juan Medrano is a resident of Tolleson, concerned citizen and parent.
Congratulations Priscilla Giguere - Mrs. Sonoran Desert
We are proud to have you as a friend to the Estetica family. We wish you the best of luck in the Mrs. Arizona America Pageant. Mrs. America State Pageant will take place April 5 & 6, 2013 at the Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe, AZ. Tickets available for this event at the box office and online. To learn more about the Mrs. Arizona America Pageant, find us on Facebook or at: www.MrsArizonaAmerica.com Mrs. Arizona America Pageant
Priscilla Giguere Mrs. Sonoran Desert
Mrs. Arizona America Contestant 2013
Dr. Corwin D. Martin
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