CAFE Magazine 05-May|Jun 09

No05 May | June09

Latino Lifestyle Magazine

OUR FALLEn A Tribute to Those Who Have Made The Ultimate Sacrifice

Zoraida Sambolin:

Anchored by Family Fatherhood Against All Odds New Hector Duarte Mural Takes Flight

I bardhë Blanc Bijelo Bílý Hvid Wit Valge

W Hite Puti

Valkoinen

All In

Blanc

Party

Branco

WeiSS

Fehér Putih

Bianco Baltas Abjad Hvit Biały Alb Biely Bel Blanco Vit Beyaz Trang

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MAY | JUNE2009

Latino Lifestyle Magazine

FEATURES the ultimate sacrifice

Three Latino families remember the loved ones they lost to war. words Rafael Romo

family history

A visit to NBC-5’s Zoraida Sambolin’s sprawling historic house. words Darhiana Mateo

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Café MAY | JUNE2009

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57

51

60

one tough mAmma

“Juanna Rumbel” is having fun as a mom and as a roller derby queen. words Joel Frieders

MY TWO DADS

Erik Sosa-Kibby and his partner want to trascend all stereotypes. words Maria Mancia

Yellow and black ribbons adorn the tree outside the family home of deceased U.S. Army Pfc. Omar E. Torres. | photo stacie freudenberg |

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DEPARTMENTS 8 Editor’s Note Contributors 10 Dear Café

Alejandro Riera Reader feedback

Café Espresso

12 Somos

14 ¿sabías que?

16 The Buzz 18 ojo 2o upgrade 22 MI GENTE 24 diversions 26 la plaza 28 voices

Blanca Martini and Carlos Baldizon Martini Cultural factoids Hot events around town Fine art photography Life enhancing gadgets George Burciaga Melo Rosario, sneaker collector Veterans speak out about Iraq Leonard Ramírez

Café Filter

33 familia

36 con gusto 38 fashion 40 beauty 42 get ahead

Guide to Summer Camps Entertaining al fresco Shoes for him and her Scents to welcome warmer days Benefits of serving on boards

Café Grande

64 thoughtpiece

What if the French had won at

Puebla?

CafÉ Blend 69 MUST go Hector Duarte’s mural over canvas 72 TO DO TO Sí Calendar of events 73 dining Coco’s nouveau-rican cuisine 76 restaurant guide A list of Latino eateries 78 Scene at Latino social scene 80 A mí Me enseñaron Make time for family

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Café MAY | JUNE2009

Detail of stained glass door that leads into the closed-in porch near the dining room area of Zoraida Sambolin’s home in Oak Park IL. | photo alberto treviño |

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Alejandro Riera On March 21, 2003, while traveling in a convoy to Basra, Iraq, Marine Staff Sergeant Eric Alva stepped on a landmine. The resulting explosion broke his right arm and severely damaged his leg.

That same day, 22-year old Marine Lance Corporal José Antonio Gutiérrez was killed by enemy fire in Um Qasr, Iraq. Alva was the first American soldier wounded in the six-year old conflict in Iraq, while Gutiérrez was the first soldier killed in combat.

According to the Pentagon, Latinos constitute 13.5 percent of the U.S. Armed Forces. And yet, the stories of Latinos who have served and died in Iraq and Afghanistan have yet to be fully told.

As another Memorial Day celebration approaches, we strongly felt that the voices of the families who have lost loved ones in these conflicts needed to be heard. We also wanted to hear from the soldiers who so bravely served in Iraq. What is their take on President Obama’s plans to increase troops in Afghanistan?

We also pay tribute to Mom and Dad in some unique ways.

We visit NBC-5’s morning news anchor Zoraida Sambolin’s home in Oak Park, which has been listed under the National Register of Historic Places. Zoraida was the creator of two local parenting programs, in English and Spanish, and is the first on-air broadcaster in Chicago to work at both English and Spanish-language stations simultaneously. We also profile Juanna Rumbel (a.k.a. Elizabeth Gomez), mother of two and a key figure in the revival of the Chicago-born sport of roller derby. Finally, we profile a gay Latino artist who, along with his partner, pursued the joys of fatherhood.

As of this edition, we are returning to a bimonthly schedule. In between we will keep satisfying your caffeine craving by providing more original content through our biweekly newsletter, website, social networking sites and events. We have just established a presence on Gather.com, where we will be highlighting the best stories featured in Café. So, whether it’s through Facebook, Twitter, Gather or MySpace, you will always find a way to engage other Latinos in our ongoing conversation about what constitutes the Latino Contemporary Lifestyle.

editor’s note

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Café MAY | JUNE2009

Joel Frieders Working to better our society through sarcasm, ill natured wit and pure anger, Joel Frieders was the first one to use the toilet in your new home, and he didn’t flush. If you can’t take a joke, or understand that life isn’t a sob story, please subscribe to Good Housekeeping. Life deserves to be lived rather than talked about, whined about or ignored. Buy him a pint the next time you see him and he won’t curse you into extinction via his ninja death ray.

The CONTRIBUTORS Belia Ortega Raised in Humboldt Park and Logan Square, Belia holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. Belia has covered education, diversity, and religion and her work has appeared in The Sheboygan Press in Wisconsin, Conscious Choice Magazine, and Extra News.

Jillian Sipkins Born in Chicago, Jillian holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and studied photography at the University of Richmond in Rome. She now resides in Chicago as a freelance photographer and hopes to pursue a career in photojournalism.

Stacie Freudenberg Stacie is the founder of Akashic Imaging, a Chicago-based photography company. She is a frequent contributor to the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune as well as many other local and national publications.

Freudenberg’s most recent international project took her to Thailand near the end of 2007 to document the plight of Burmese nationals fleeing Myanmar (formerly Burma). To view a portion of this project, visit her website at www.AkashicImaging.com.

Publisher Julián G. Posada Café media Advisors

Editorial

Editor-in-Chief Alejandro Riera Managing Editor marilia t. gutiérrez Managing Editor Gina Santana Copy Editors Marie Joyce Garcia

Editorial Assistant

Chris MALCOLM DarHiana Mateo Vera Napoleon CHRISTINA E. RODRíGUEZ

design

Art Director Graphic Designer

alberto treviÑo wendy melgar

don schnitzius

sales

Sales Director West Coast Sales Manager Sales Associates

david murga isis Gonzalez Denise Carrasco

Anthony Pérez

marketing

Marketing Director Marketing Analyst Outreach Coordinator

Office Manager IT Manager

Martin Castro, George De Lama, STEVEN GROYA, david hutchenson, Pete kingwill, IAN LARKIN, Mike Malee, carlos santiago, david selby EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Cruz Registered Investors & Advisors LLC Angel Cruz

Executive Title Martha Tovias

Gomez Consulting Angel Gomez

Grainger katie porter

HACE Andrea Saenz

Harris Bank Lilia Alvarado

Home State Bank Magdalena Rivera

The LDI Group Brian SOrge

Loyola University Chicago regina treviño

Merrill Lynch Juan Carlos Avila

Mesirow Financial Olga Camargo

National City Bank Bruce Lines

National Louis University Ana Maria Soto

The Resurrection Project Raul Raymundo

UIC LARES Program Leonard Ramírez

Norma Magaña, Francisco Menchaca

melissa m. martínez Rodrigo SaUza

Special Thanks

gardenia rangel

Daniel Bleier, Michael Bleier, WILLIAM GRAHAM, Henry Kingwill, Pete kingwill, Ian Larkin, William Mckenna

ADMINISTRATION JANET PéREZ Jorge Jiménez

contributing writers Gloria Elena Alicea, christina chavez weitman, joel frieders, annette gonzalez, Maria Mancia, DARHIANA MATEO, belia ortega, BENJAMIN ORTIZ, MICHAEL PUENTE, leonard ramirez, isabel resendiz, RAFAEL ROMO CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS stacie freudenberg, AKIN Girav, brian morowczynski, eddie quiñones, ALEXA RUBINSTEIN, Mauricio Rubio, christopher smith, jillian sipkins

CONTRIBUTING Stylists

Interior Design Stylist Hair and Make-Up Artist

Make-Up Artist

Bridget Johnson Joyce Taft at artists by timothy priano Renée Denomme

Make-Up Artist Anna Cali stock photos

STOCK.XCHNG, ISTOCKPHOTO CAFé MEDIA llc office

660 W. Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60654 Office: (312) 226-0151 Fax: (312) 226-0079 place an ad sales@cafemagazine.com subscribe www.cafemagazine.com contact an editor readers@cafemagazine.com submit calendar events calendar@cafemagazine.com Los Cafeteros originales Julián, Gina, Marilia, melissa, david y alberto

Café magazine is printed on paper sourced from companies that practice sustainable forest management.

Acknowledgements

Chicago Park District marta juaniza Congress Theater eddie carranza Diageo Luis Rosado

Roujay Vargas

e-Hispanics.com jose jara

Gather.com DAVID WOODROW

Illinois Hispanic

Chamber of Commerce omar duque Roberto Cornelio

Maranon Capital Jana Gardella

m?rk mark flores

Medill School of Journalism,

Northwestern University elizabeth hunter

Mikey O Comedy Mike Oquendo

mun2 the chicas project

NBC 5 Chicago Lora Johnson-Lesage chris peÑA

MARCUS RILEY

School of Communications,

Loyola University Don Heider

Swilrz Cupcakes Paula Malone Pam Rose

Vocalo BIBIANA ADAMES

LLOYD KING

edgar castaÑEDA

Zocalo

marcos castañeda

nelly aguilar, AL AUGAITIS, chris belec, james cicenia, Chris Courtney, Eduardo Fernández, Liliana Fernandez, Alejandro Garcia, Lorena Gonzales, Michael Gray, Marta Juaniza, Enrique Lopez, bRian morowczynski, Ramon Muñoz, christian ortega, Diana Palomar, KATIE RISCH, Cesar Ruiz, Carlo Seran, sharon stallworth

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Remove inserts before recycling.

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caféLetters

Dear Café ...

Thank you once again for your comments and suggestions. We look forward to each and every one: the good, the bad and the ugly. So keep them coming. The more we hear from you, the more we’ll strive to improve your Café experience.

Turned Off Hi, my son Jorge Campos gets your magazine. I read the entire magazine this weekend, and found the topics to be very interesting, and informative. I actually learned things I was not aware of. Now, the only thing I was not crazy was the article on “DNA Art” (April issue). I do all types of art work and painting is one of my favorites.

However, after reading this article, I can say I lost my desire to paint for awhile. I know people use all different types of materials to paint, however I found this one disturbing. I see art as a way to express myself and this article just did not appeal to me at all.

I actually wish I had not read it. But overall I do find the magazine to be educational.

Maria Soto, Chicago Lament for a Bookstore I am excited to see this article (“The House that Sandra Built,” April issue). I used to live in Santa Ana and am very familiar with Martinez Bookstore. I am very sad to hear that the bookstore will be closing. Now I live in Chicago and wish I could find a bookstore in the neighborhood owned by a Latino. I have found there are very few bookstores in the low income neighborhoods. This is why we stay behind and make no progress.

We need to do more for our children if we want them to succeed! Unless our children are determined to get moving in life, we need to make sure to give them a push.

Sandra Mejia-Vega, Chicago

need and realize that they are not alone.

Jennyfer D. (posted online) A Personal Connection I am an avid subscriber to other Hispanic/Latino magazines and although I appreciate reading accounts of successful Latinos, Café connected with me personally! As a Latina and native Chicagoan, and adult educator, I like the local Chicago connection, attention to higher education and timely topics. Keep it up!

Neida Hernandez-Santamaria,

Chicago

Newsletter Joy I just wanted to share how much I enjoy getting the Café Magazine Newsletter. Through you, I found out about the Sweet Saturdays event at Garfield Park.

I decided to check it out, and it was so much fun! Thanks so much for keeping your readers informed about the events that are happening around the city.

Liz Melero, Chicago Not Defined By Autism I was appreciative to see your latest issue had an article in relation to autism (“Living with Autism,” April 2009). Having a cousin with autism, I am always on the lookout for these types of articles. One thing I thought was lacking was the fact that there are different forms of autism and every diagnosis is not the same. My cousin is a 7th grade boy with Aspergers. My cousin is at a high school level and is in honors classes and, yes, he has his Aspy moments, but it doesn’t define him. He is one of the strongest, smartest, funniest, and caring human beings that I know and I am honored to have someone like him in my life…I just hope that more families are able to find the help they

More Praise for Achy I received my issue of Café and I was astonished to read about Achy Obejas (“The Marvelous Reality of Achy Obejas,” March 2009). She is such an inspiration not only for Cubans but for all Latinos. However, the most shocking fact I learned is that she is currently teaching at DePaul! I go to DePaul and I look forward to signing up for her Latin American studies classes.

Sandra Tapia, Chicago A Happy Accident I came across your excellent magazine quite by accident at work. It just kind of appeared. To this day I still do not know whose it was, but I am glad I found it. Now my family enjoys the magazine as well. ¡Viva la hispanidad!

Raul Romero, Hammond, IN Authentic and Beautiful The piece on Natalie Marty (“Somos”, April issue) captures a naturalness and authenticity often missing in features. I love the conversational way she expresses herself and how her essence comes through so beautifully.

Gracias!

Sara McIntosh (posted online)

Send your comments to readers@cafemagazine.com, and www.cafemagazine.com/index.php/comments or write to Letters to the Editor, Café Magazine, 660 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60654. Include your full name, address and daytime phone number. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity.

10 Café MAY | JUNE2009

It’s good to be here.

A strong, vibrant community relies on everyone pulling together to help make it so—from visionaries who lead the way to volunteers who lend a hand. At American Family we welcome the opportunity to do our part.

American Family Mutual Insurance Company and its Subsidiaries Home Office – Madison, WI 53783 amfamlatino.com © 2007

002775 – 6/07

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Somos

Akin Girav

13 Café MAY | JUNE2009

photo

Career Services Adviser, Illinois Institute of Art

Carlos Baldizon Martini, 32

Secretary to the Dean, School of the Arts, Indiana University at South Bend

Blanca Martini, 50

Blanca: Ensalada en escabeche (a salad first sautéed in olive oil and left to cool off after the vinegar is added).

I craved it so badly I ate it right out of the frying pan!

What did you crave when you were pregnant with Carlos?

My son Carlos is...

Blanca: An angel...He is polite to the extreme and has a joy of life that just pours right out in that beautiful smile. And, of course, he is also dropdead gorgeous!

What was your Mom’s worst punishment?

Carlos: I was 13 and failed an English spelling test.

She was my 6th-grade English teacher, so she didn’t allow me to go see Madonna’s Blond Ambition Tour in Guatemala City.

What did you do as a kid that your mom doesn’t know about?

Carlos: I don’t think she knows I split the cost of the Madonna “Sex” book with a classmate when I was a freshman in high school.

cafemagazine.com 13

visit cafemagazine.com

For more of this interview,

Blanca: With cream and one sugar.

Carlos: Black with a little sugar … and María cookies along with it don’t hurt either.

How do you take your coffee?

caféESPRESSO

¿SabÍasquE? May Revolution

May 25, 1810 marked the first step in Argentina’s quest for independence from the Spanish crown. The Semana de Mayo is a weeklong celebration of the events leading up to the Día de la Revolución de Mayo on the 25th. The Plaza de Mayo in the center of Buenos Aires also commemorates the event.

Days for mothers

Although many Latin American countries and territories, such as Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Venezuela, Honduras, Cuba, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Puerto Rico, celebrate Mother’s Day on May 10, the United States celebrates it on the second Sunday in May, which this year happens to fall on the 10th. Spain celebrates it the first Sunday in May (May 3 this year), Bolivia on May 27, Nicaragua on May 30 and the Dominican Republic celebrates it May 31. Mothers in Costa Rica are honored on Aug. 15, while in Argentina it’s Oct. 18, and in Panama it’s Dec. 8.

Armed services

Latinos have been fighting in the U.S. armed forces as far back as World War I. At the end of September 2001, Latinos made up 109,487 of those in enlisted ranks and made up 9.49 percent of the active duty enlisted force.

Mendoza

Emerging from the mountains of the Spanish Basque country, the surname Mendoza stems from the words “mendi” meaning mountain and “otz” meaning cold in Euskara, the Basque language. This surname is considered a local name because it reflects the surroundings of where the Mendoza family originally lived.

Macro brewery

The oldest known brewery was found in Cerro Baúl, Peru, predating the Inca Empire by four centuries. In 2004, teams from Chicago’s Field Museum and the University of Florida dug up more than 20 large vats, 10 to 15 gallons each, used in the preparation of chicha. Video of this expedition is available at www.fieldmuseum.org/expeditions.

Sources: genealogy.about.com; HouseOfNames.com; MothersDayCentral.com; Wikipedia.org; NationMaster. com; Pew Hispanic Center; Los Angeles Times

14 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Sneak Peek at the Next Issue ...

SUMMER FUN IN THE CITY From the Air and Water Show to Lollapalooza, from concerts to art fairs, the Chicago area has plenty to offer in the summertime. Check out our guide to this season’s most important events.

GOOOOOOLLLLLLL!!!!!!!

Did you know that the Chicago metro area has the largest number of amateur soccer leagues in the nation? Even though they play throughout the year, these teams come out in full force during the summer. For their members, soccer is more than a game…it’s a religion.

LATINO MUSLIMS Since 2001, the number of Latino Muslims has exploded nationwide.

They have formed communities to provide one another with knowledge about Islam and share stories about family tensions after their conversion. We look at where the Latino Muslim community is now, and how they are preparing for the celebration of Ramadan.

BACK TO SCHOOL From the ongoing debate pitting dual language education against bilingual education to tips on how you can save for your kids’ college fund in these recessionary times, Café takes a quick look at everything education related as parents and students prepare to go back to class.

cafemagazine.com 15

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thebuzz box oFfice

Who will be this summer’s king of the box office? Will it be that sharp-clawed mutant played by that “so-easy-on-the-eyes” Hugh Jackman? The young crew of the starship Enterprise? Or the bad-ass robots from “Terminator: Salvation” (May 22) and “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (June 26)? We won’t make bets, but we will share our enthusiasm for four titles that have been generating some buzz: “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (May 1), “Star Trek” (above, May 8), the fourth entry in the Terminator saga and Pixar’s “Up” (May 29).

The mysteries of marriage

Happy birthday, tacVbos!

Last year, playwright Jose Rivera and director Henry Godinez joined forces to stage the world premiere of Rivera’s latest play, “Boleros for the Disenchanted,” at the Yale Repertory Theatre in Connecticut. Godinez will now stage that play at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. “Boleros for the Disenchanted” explores the bonds that tie a loving marriage through good times and bad. The play will run at the Goodman from June 20-July 26. Tickets go on sale May 8: www. goodmantheatre.org

Twenty years ago, four design students at Mexico’s National Autonomous University decided to pick up guitars and synthesizers and form a band. They called themselves “Alicia Ya No Vive Aquí” in honor of Martin Scorsese’s “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” But, unlike other rock en español acts, the quartet wanted to incorporate Mexican and Afro-Caribbean rhythms into their sonic mix. And so, in honor of one of Mexico City’s most famous restaurants, they changed their name to Café Tacuba (now spelled Tacvba). Little did they realize that they would become one of rock en espanol’s most acclaimed bands, collaborating with the likes of David Byrne and the Kronos Quartet. Café Tacvba will perform at the Congress Theater on June 26. For more information, visit www.chicagocongress.com

Sounds from around the world

Every year, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs takes their Music Without Borders program outdoors to the Millennium Park’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion with a series of free weekly concerts featuring new and unusual groups from around the world. Latin American folk music will be well represented in June with the Chicago debut of Colombia’s premiere joropo group Cimarron (left, June 21) and Mexico’s Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán (June 25). For a complete schedule, visit www.millenniumpark.org

16 Café MAY | JUNE2009

For the couch potatoes

How would you like to reconnect to your parents’ and grandparents’ homeland and watch television just like millions of their compatriots do everyday? Comcast recently expanded their Hispanic tier programming to include channels from Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Spain, Peru and the Dominican Republic. To learn more, visit www.comcast.com/espanol.

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caféESPRESSO | ojo

| photo alberto treviño |

| photo david little |

| photo halim trujillo |

1. Lizzard Lounge [ photo alberto treviño ] One more month to go before Cadance Hope Muniz joins the new world, so Stacey can celebrate her first mother’s day.

1

2 4

3 2. procession [ photo david little ] Bugling for Peace, Brooklyn NYC

3. Brooklyn bridge [ photo halim trujillo ] Rainy afternoon in New York. Overlooking the Queensboro Bridge from the Solow Building.

4. Untitled [ photo manuel rodriguez muro ] The miners.

| photo manuel rodriguez muro |

18 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Send us your best photographs and the story behind them in 20 words or less. Only original, unmodified high res images please. We will publish or post online what we like. Café reserves the right to turn down any image. Send images to alberto@cafemagazine.com.

GET IT AT NLU

Toni Johnson MBA on-site at Children’s Memorial Hospital

Times are tough...and getting tougher. No more excuses!

The time is now to invest in your career and your future with an MBA degree from NLU. Stay competitive in your field...develop the skills necessary to tackle the tough issues of the global economy. At National-Louis University, we understand that your livelihood is essential to you and your family. And we know how busy you are juggling all of your responsibilities.

That’s why we’ve made it convenient for you to get your MBA degree online, on-campus, on-site and in your community.

Javier Hernandez, MBA on-campus in Wheeling “I’ve taken MBA courses through the cohort model...the same group of students meets for the entire program.

Each person brings his or her own strengths to the classroom, so you can learn from one another and share experiences with your classmates.”

Jill Talabay, MBA online in her own home

Ana Maria Soto, MBA in her community at El Valor

“The online courses were great...and I was very busy at that time: I was planning a wedding, my husband and I were buying our first house, and we were still able to travel. I could check the postings and respond right away.

It was very convenient.”

See what our MBA students and graduates are saying about their NLU experiences at www.nl.edu/getit.

GET IT NOW. GET IT FAST. GET IT DONE.

“I’m getting my MBA in a Latino community—that establishes a network with all of our classmates ...we’re like a movement. We’re graduating 47 Latino MBAs in less than two years. That’s a group that can affect change.”

National-Louis University www.nl.edu

caféESPRESSO | UPGRADE

LifeEnhancers

Gadgets and practical products that add spark to daily activities words

Isabel Resendiz

In times like these, we appreciate anything that can improve our lives. We lean towards products that can protect our current investments. Here are some ideas that will help you move forward with the times without breaking the bank.

Light and safe (top left)

www.speckproducts.com, $39.95

Need to lighten your load? With the Speck TuckPack Sleeve you can carry your laptop around with style. It comes in a variety of designs and with its Duraflex buckles, secure Velcro closure and extra plush microfleece padding, your laptop is as secure as can be.

20 Café MAY | JUNE2009

See-through protection

Picture-perfect frame (top right)

www.speckproducts.com, $24.95

www.kodak.com, $99.95

If your iPod needs protection, the Speck See Thru Nano Cover has got you covered. Its ultra-thin sleek hard shell case shields your Nano from falls and everyday wear and tear.

It comes with built-in durable screen protection, a headphone organizer and rubberized side rails for extra grip.

With the Kodak Easyshare LCD Digital Photo Frame P720, you can store your pictures safely. The Kodak digital frame allows you to create slideshows so you can display more than one picture at a time.

Just insert your media card and watch your pictures go from camera to frame in a flash.

Are we there yet?

It’s crystal clear

www.tomtom.com, $199.95

www.sonystyle.com, $79.99

When Mapquest and Google Maps came around, we were thrilled to not have to pull over and ask for directions.

But with the TomTom One 130 GPS system, you can save some trees by reducing the number of maps you print. It comes with preloaded maps of the U.S. and Canada and turn-by-turn spoken directions.

Not a fan of taking notes? With the Sony Digital Voice Recorder ICD-UX70, all you have to do is press “record” and you’ll have your professor’s lessons or your work meetings saved in MP3 format, which can be downloaded to your PC using an USB cable.

ALL GREAT THINGS

START WITH A

human CONNECTION.

caféESPRESSO

Born entrepreneur

Talent and drive come easy to minority small biz person of the year George Burciaga

When George Burciaga was 13 years old, he worked at Irv’s Bike Shop over on 18th Street and Racine Avenue. He grew up in the Pilsen neighborhood, raised by his grandparents who worked several jobs. For weeks he fixed bikes and stocked shelves, saving all of his money for a special cause. words photo

Annette Gonzalez Mauricio Rubio

The boy wanted to make Christmas special for his family, so he used his earnings to buy them gifts. The feeling he had walking down 18th Street with the bag of gifts was something he’d never forget.

“It was this amazing feeling of accomplishment,” Burciaga says. “It was the experience of being able to buy things, to bring them to my family, to see the expressions on their faces. Nothing could replace that feeling.”

Nothing? How about being recognized as the 2008 National Minority Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration?

Burciaga, 34, is founder and CEO of SmarTECHS.net, a Chicago-based information technology consulting firm. In addition to the SBA honor, he was also named the Illinois 2008 Small Business Person of the Year and was second runner-up for the national title.

And for the past two years, his firm has been recognized as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies by Inc. Magazine.

“Being recognized for what you do is unbelievable,” Burciaga says. “It really allows you to believe that you are meeting and exceeding your

22 Café MAY | JUNE2009

dreams.”

Burciaga’s first business venture as an entrepreneur took place at age 7. While some of the other youth in Pilsen chose to deal drugs, he chose to deal candy. Burciaga says he started working at an early age selling candy on the streets of Pilsen to help support his family.

“What makes George unique from the average business person is that he had that hardknock life growing up,” says Trina Fresco-Burciaga, George’s wife. “He’s taken the survival skills he developed, plus his education and experience, to become an unstoppable force.”

While at Kelly High School and through his first year of college, Burciaga worked in IT support at a beverage distribution company under Richard Wallace, the executive vice president at the time who later became Burciaga’s mentor. “From the suit and tie to the briefcase, what to order at dinner, the types of wine to drink, the knowledge that businessmen bring to the boardroom, and the guidance for conducting yourself as a businessman — all of that came from him,” Burciaga says.

Wallace says he remembers a kid who came in late in the mornings, but would stay as long

miGENTE

George Burciaga, 34, is founder and CEO of SmarTECHS.net, a Chicago-based information technology consulting firm with some big accomplishments.

as needed to get his work done. Burciaga, he says, always had great business sense and great technical skills: “I get way too much credit. I simply found a talented young guy and gave him an opportunity.

He picked up the ball and ran with it.”

Burciaga attended Robert Morris College and later DePaul University, where he studied business and computer science, and interned for a division of the Bank of Montreal. Taking what he learned from selling sweets on the streets and from his internship, Burciaga realized he was ready to start a business of his own.

“My objective was always to get my family into a better place,” Burciaga says.

“It wasn’t to drive the fancy car or wear the fancy clothes, it was, ‘How do I build enough revenue to support my family?’”

In 1998, Sunrise Technology, Inc. was conceived in a two-bedroom apartment on the South Side of Chicago that he shared with Fresco-Burciaga. The company focused on technological infrastructure development within banks, including the Bank of Montreal. There

His Five Keys to Success: • Believe in yourself; no one else will.

• Remember three things: 1) Family first; 2) Family first; 3) Don’t forget 1 and 2.

• Listen to everyone because everyone has something important to say.

• Always be willing to take a chance.

• Always be willing to adapt to change.

was only one person on staff — Burciaga.

He was the firm’s secretary, engineer, developer and CEO. Two years later, Burciaga started SmarTECHS.net, a division of Sunrise Technology, Inc. With his savings, he bought out a space on 18th and Canal Streets and hired three application and network engineers that were referred to him by other companies. The three still work for him today.

“Some of the people that started with him right at the beginning, or came within a year or two, are still there,” says Fresco-Burciaga, who is also vice presi-

dent of operations at SmarTECHS.net.

Within the company, Burciaga has developed a culture that mirrors his Latino culture. He says his team feels like a family, and is proud to have a team with a strong work ethic and pride for what they do.

SmarTECHS.net is now at 18th Street and South Indiana Avenue in the South Loop. It offers IT solutions to firms and organizations, such as services in infrastructure, Web development and IT training.

The firm originally had a clientele of small to mid-size businesses and eventually moved into the public sector, working with clients such as the City of Chicago. Today, SmarTECHS.net works with global partners such as Microsoft, Unisys and Dell, among others. “We plan on building the greatest technology firm possible out of the city of Chicago,” he says.

Burciaga lives in the West Loop with his wife and three kids: Sofia, 4, Giana, 2, and infant son Lorenzo. He hopes his work will make enough of an impact on clients, communities and families to change lives. cafemagazine.com 23

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Not all kicks are created equal. Just ask sneaker collector Melo Rosario. words

e Sol n a M 24 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Darhiana Mateo photos alBerto Treviño

Sneaker aficionado Melo Rosario, 30, can’t pinpoint exactly when his hobby morphed into a full-fledged obsession.

Even as a child growing up in Humboldt Park, Rosario always had an appreciation for fly kicks. Alas, his taste exceeded his working-class family’s budget. He still remembers a treasured pair of black-and-silver Air Jordans he got in eighth grade, his first and last pair until he was able to buy his own.

“I’ve always liked shoes, but in the past eight years, I became obsessed,” he says. “I started getting all the shoes I couldn’t afford when I was younger.”

These days, Rosario has far surpassed his initial goal of owning 365 pairs of shoes, one for every day of the year. His personal collection consists of 600 pairs of sneakers, all Nike — his favorite

artdepartment DIVERSIONS

OPOSITE PAGE: Melo Rosario’s personal collection of sneakers consists of some 650 pairs.

ABOVE INSET: Rosario is co-owner of the Kuts and Kicks boutique Born with Soul in Logan Square.

TOP RIGHT: Rosario organizing his shoe closet at home.

brand since he was a kid — and each unique. Rosario says his collection mostly boasts limited editions and overseas releases.

As any sneaker enthusiast will tell you, it’s about more than just the shoes. For Rosario — who sports a mohawk and mullet and several tattoos paying tribute to his Taíno, African and Spanish roots — shoes are a reflection of one’s individuality. “You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes,” he says.

So what does this shoe collection reveal about its owner? “That I’m different…that I’m obsessed,” Rosario jokes.

Rosario’s hobby has evolved into a unique business. As co-owner of Born with Soul, a “Kuts and Kicks” boutique that opened its doors late last summer in Logan Square, Rosario has fused his sixyear profession as a hairstylist with his shoe expertise and enthusiasm.

Inside the boutique, the hum of an electric razor competes with a Kanye West track in the background. Graffiti murals depicting Chicago accent the red and orange walls. A custom chopper that

Rosario built himself two years ago, echoing the red and orange hues of the walls, commands the center spot. And the shoes — of all styles and colors — are everywhere: hanging off the ceilings, or lined neatly on black shelves against the walls and stashed in glass cases.

When asked what vibe he was going for, Rosario responds without hesitation, “Just a different atmosphere. A sense of art, something more than the typical.”

Most of Rosario’s personal collection is on display at the boutique.

Another 800 pairs are for sale. “Most of the shoes we got here, you wouldn’t find at a FootLocker,” Rosario says. “[It’s] almost like a shoe museum.” The shoes range in price from $50 to $2,500.

Customer and fellow sneaker aficionado Frank McSwain of Bloomington makes the long drive to the Logan Square boutique because of the unique selection and vibe. “He never leaves you wanting,” McSwain says of Rosario. “He has things I’ve never seen before.”

Pointing to a pair of Air Max 9’s, black with green laces, Rosario remembers flying to Seattle and standing in line for a day and a half in the rain just to get them.

“I’ve also gone to New York, Vegas — stayed out in the rain, snow, cold,” he says. “If you want something that’s limited, you have to go the extra mile to get it.”

Business partner and best friend Sam Novello, who has his own “baby” sneaker collection of 100 pairs, jokes that Rosario has a “bad effect” on people. “It rubs off on you,” Novello says.

“You try to keep up.”

With so many choices, Rosario’s answer to the question of a favorite pair is particularly revealing: “It’s a Nike Air Footscape Woven,” he says. “Looks like a moccasin. I like it because it sticks out. It’s different.”

Like shoe, like owner. cafemagazine.com 25

caféESPRESSO

Francisco Bolaños, of East Chicago, Ind., agrees with President Obama’s plan to reduce troop levels in Iraq: “The Iraqis have to be able to take care of themselves.”

The Long Road

Out of War words

Michael Puente

photos

Two Latino veterans of the Iraq conflict take a critical look at the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Christopher Smith

President Barack Obama wants the United States out of Iraq 15 months from now. Under his proposal, 35,000 to 50,000 U.S. forces would stay in war-torn Iraq to serve in a training or advisory role. There are currently 142,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

The president’s plan isn’t going over so well with fellow Democrats in Washington, and there is ongoing debate about the August 2010 pullout deadline. The main concern is the number of U.S. troops that would remain in Iraq. Some, like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, believe 50,000 troops are too many.

There’s also considerable debate on whether the president’s plans to increase forces in Afghanistan by 21,000 troops will help defeat terrorists who some say run their operations in the country and in neighboring Pakistan. If the military boost goes through, there will be some 60,000 troops in Afghanistan in the coming months.

A recent poll by the Pew Hispanic Center suggests two out of every three Latinos believe that U.S. troops should be brought home from Iraq as soon as possible, while only 25 percent believe using 26 Café MAY | JUNE2009

military force was the right decision. While politicians, pundits and the public debate these critical issues, for those serving in the U.S. Armed Forces in either Iraq or Afghanistan, there’s no time to debate.

“A soldier keeps his mind on his job. Period,” says 49-year-old Francisco Bolaños.

He served near Baghdad with the 706th Transportation Company out of Mansfield, Ohio, for a one-year stint from 2004 to 2005. His company provided fueling supplies for troops in a town that’s only about five minutes from Baghdad, but Bolaños says it took about 20 minutes to get back and forth because of security concerns.

Bolaños is from the small, industrial city of East Chicago, Ind., about a 20-minute drive from downtown Chicago. He served in the Army for 23 years before retiring following his return from Iraq.

As a soldier, Bolaños says he didn’t have time to think whether President George W. Bush was making the right decisions. He just followed the president’s orders through and through.

“As a soldier, if you went against Bush, you were going against

LAPLAZA

“The Afghan people view us as an occupying force,” says Chicago native Vincent Emanuele, who is a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War.

your country. You will defend him whether you agree or disagree,” Bolaños says. “This is a country that I was willing to die for.”

But now that he’s a civilian, Bolaños is allowed to take a more critical look at how things are playing out. Overall, he believes President Obama is making the right decisions as far as trying to wind down troop levels in Iraq.

“The Iraqis have to be able to take care of themselves. They have been at war for many, many years. You cannot sit there and babysit them,” Bolaños, who now works as a truck driver, says.

Whatever happens, Bolaños hopes the president’s decision will make the United States safer, especially since his wife recently gave birth to a boy in early March. “I want this country to be safe for him and all children,” Bolaños says.

A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE

Chicago native Vincent Emanuele served in Iraq three times and saw fighting up close. The 24-year-old, who was born and spent part of his childhood on Chicago’s Far Southeast Side, arrived in Iraq with his Marine unit as part of the first wave of U.S. forces in 2003.

From 2004 to 2005, Emanuele’s unit manned vehicle checkpoints and participated in house raids in the northern Iraqi city of al-Qaim.

“Much of my experience there was negative,” Emanuele says. “I didn’t see much support from the local population. It was hard to get a pulse of the region. It was far too hostile to communicate with the local population.”

Even now, he says, the hostility continues to grow against the Americans in Iraq. “People in Iraq don’t have a functioning econ-

omy. There’s no water, no health care, no way to educate themselves,” Emanuele says. “It’s very hard to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people if we’re not providing those things.”

On President Obama’s plan to decrease the number of troops in Iraq, it’s almost something the president had no choice but to do, Emanuele says, since the military is nearing its limit. “They were going to start redeploying regardless whether Obama or [Republican John] McCain was president,” he says. “We’re sending guys back over three or four times. The military is at a breaking point. We’re not able to sustain those operations of 140,000 troops for many more years to come.”

Since returning from Iraq, Emanuele’s opposition to the war has grown. Emanuele, who now lives in the Northwest Indiana town of Chesterton, is a member of the group Iraq Veterans Against the War. IVAW has chapters throughout the United States, including Chicago.

The group calls for three things: 1) the complete withdrawal of American troops from Iraq; 2) adequate health care for all returning American troops; 3) reparations for the Iraqi people.

In the end, Emanuele supports the president in reducing the number of troops in Iraq, but says the entire mission may have caused more harm than good. And, he says, sending more troops into Afghanistan may not do any good, either.

“The Afghan people view us as an occupying force. The more troops we send in, the more destruction we cause,” Emanuele says. “Then, the people become radicalized because of that occupation.” cafemagazine.com 27

caféESpresso | Voices

Find Your Passion in

This Recession

Leonard Ramírez

a new generation of latinos is poised to seek career opportunities closely linked to their values

28 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Like many Latino students of the ‘70s, I left college with a band of friends and set out to “make a difference.” I ended up spending five years helping to create the Latino Youth Alternative High School that still exists to this day. Some of my friends dedicated themselves to community arts or helped build advocacy centers or service agencies. Another experimented with acting and then surprised us one day when he announced that he was leaving to Nicaragua to join the rebel Sandinista army. Regardless of where we eventually landed, most of us were fortunate to find places where we could make contributions.

Fast-forward to the 21st Century and you’ll find that this upcoming generation of students will have a much more difficult time finding opportunities where they can promote a social agenda.

Latino students walking across the graduation stage this spring will encounter a competitive employment market waiting for them. For many newly minted college graduates, lower salaries and increased time invested in a job search loom on the horizon. Choosing a job that offers financial stability and meaningful work in an economic downturn places additional pressure to make the “right” choice.

Perhaps it is a sign of more progressive times that finds a new generation of Latinos poised to seek career opportunities closely linked to their values. Graduates may benefit from the experiences of those who continue to build socially relevant careers.

Victor Alvarez, vice president of Target Group Inc., a boutique consulting firm, thinks it is important to make a social contribution: “Because I am a mission-driven individual, I have always worked for organizations or companies that provide some sort of service to underrepresented communities.

Whatever work I do has to include some sort of social-responsibility component.”

Virginia Martinez, an attorney with the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, agrees: “I once applied for a job at a major law firm while I was still in law school and they asked me how I would feel representing a grocery chain against the [United] Farm Workers union. I didn’t like the question and even though they said it would never be a problem because I wouldn’t have to work on anything that I felt strongly opposed to, I decided I couldn’t work at big law firms.” Salary considerations may be critical, especially in hard economic times, but

finding a place that won’t conflict with one’s values may be just as important.

While Latinos may feel compelled to work in areas in line with their commitments, they have chosen a variety of environments to cultivate their passions. Tania Cabrera’s career has spanned across different professional arenas. She helped create after-school programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago. After a short stint in a highly paid public relations job, she returned to education. She enjoys her current position as a post-secondary education coach at Benito Juarez Community Academy, a school in Chicago that her father helped create in the 1970s. Eventually, she would like to start her own private foundation “that would serve as a resource for the Latino community” and help promote culture, higher education and financial enterprise.

While some graduates are in constant search of their dream job and a few even claim to have found it, many more are like Alvarez, whose “wheels are always turning and looking for new challenges.”

He looks back with a sense of accomplishment knowing he helped a community agency sharpen its policy mission. Cabrera remembers being overworked and underpaid, but also how “there was always a reason why you went to work. For me, it was the kids [...] I inspired and, in turn, [they] inspired me to make the most of my time there.”

Martinez, who initially was employed in the Pilsen community where she was raised, found it rewarding to provide legal services to her neighbors.

What do Latino professionals recommend to those searching for meaningful work? Those interviewed for this article suggest establishing a support system that can consist of mentors in the field and fellow graduates, perhaps those with whom one shared experiences within student organizations; seeking advanced degrees and other credentials to prepare for decision-making roles; and using one’s leadership skills and academic backgrounds, as well as one’s work and personal experiences, to make a difference.

Those of us who have made social justice and community advancement priorities generally have had few regrets. Ultimately, the best advice to young professionals in a troubled economy may be to keep their options open and follow their hearts.

Leonard Ramírez is the director of the Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services (LARES) Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Education is the foundation —for everything With that in mind, Diageo and Café Media have partnered to create the Diageo Celebrate the Future Scholarship Fund, encouraging continued education in the hospitality industry.

Your participation starts with a sip! In May, a portion of the proceeds from your Don Julio brands purchase will be donated to the fund.

Learn how you can partake in the program; visit www.cafemagazine.com/future.

DON JULIO Tequila. 40% Alc/Vol. ©2009 Imported by Diageo Americas, Norwalk, CT. Don Julio: Please drink responsibly.

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Special Advertising Section

Sweet Career Move

M

aximiliano Acuña may have grown up in Los Angeles, but he can deal with the winters the Windy City has to offer, especially after working at the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska, for five years. He was offered a job at the Four Seasons in Chicago and has lived here for 10 years.

After working as a server, bartender and interior designer for almost three years at Zocalo Restaurant, Acuña has now developed a sweeter take on his career. “I love the magic of pastries,” says Acuña. “I’ve always loved the kitchen, but I love pastries.”

The delight of adding the detail, the color and decoration to each sweet dish has caught his artistic eye. While working at the Four Seasons Chicago, he saw the masterful work of Mark Baker, executive chef of the Four Seasons, and the exquisite design and effort that go into his presentations. Acuña describes as the most magical of ingenuities the attention to detail, the props used in presenting dishes and the final look of the desserts. “I want to be like that,” he says.

Maximiliano Acuña’s love for art is manifested in Zocalo’s walls. | photo alberto treviño |

30 Café MAY | JUNE2009

An oil painter, Acuña dips his hands whenever he can into different forms of expression regardless of the medium. One of the kitchens located at the rear of Zocalo, for example, had brick walls. Nothing appealing to the eye, but once Acuña found some yellow and blue tiles in the basement of the restaurant, he created a broad mosaic over the wall, changing the kitchen’s entire look. “It’s not professional,” he says, “but it gives it a different feel.”

Special Advertising Section

artdepartment

Edgar and Marcos Castañeda | photo alberto treviño |

How to apply Would you like to become a professional in the food-service or hospitality industry? Do you know someone who is over the age of 21 and wants to pursue a career in hotel, restaurant or bar management, work in a catering or culinary business, or own or manage a liquor store?

Here’s what you can do: • Nominate yourself or someone you know. (One entry per person.)

• Read the Participating Rules and meet the criteria for participation.

• Fill out a nomination form available at participating locations or online at www.cafemagazine.com/future.

“He’s a great guy,” says Edgar Castañeda, co-owner of Zocalo. “In conversations he had mentioned he was always interested in pastries.”

Castañeda and his cousin Marcos grew up in the restaurant business. Their fathers were the co-founders of Lalo’s Restaurant. When it came to choosing a candidate for the Diageo - Celebrate the Future Scholarship, both Edgar and Marcos say that Acuña was the ideal choice.

“He’s worked in a lot of different [places] like hotels and restaurants, and he’s an artist,” says Marcos, pointing out Acuña’s well-rounded experience. “If he were to take advantage of this scholarship opportunity, he would excel.”

The Diageo - Celebrate the Future Scholarship Fund is a program created by Diageo in partnership with Café Media to provide scholarships to individuals interested in breaking into hospitality management. Six scholarships of up to $5,000 each will be awarded to individuals who are enrolled in college or graduate school, while additional scholarships of up to $1,000 each will go to those who choose to enroll in vocational school.

“I was excited, to be honest,” says Acuña when he remembers the moment he found out about the nomination. “I like the

Send it to Diageo - Celebrate the Future Scholarship Fund c/o Cafe Media, 660 West Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60654 before August 15, 2009.

Award decisions will be based on demonstrated need and dedication to getting ahead. Finalists will be chosen by a review committee. Winners will be announced in September 2009.

idea, and it never hurts to give it a try. [Making pastries] is one thing I want to learn, and I love to be taught and instructed on what to do.”

When it comes to future goals, Acuña says he has to be practical. “Of course, I want to own my own restaurant,” he says.

“But I have to be realistic. I would work for a spot, then find a partner with the same ideas to lift it off the ground.”

He also has visions for what he wants to do. First, though, he wants to learn how to make everything from French pastries to Mexican sweet bread. Then, he wants to put all that knowledge into the development of his ideas.

“When you have a vision to make things 10 times better, you will,” he explains. Eventually, his dream as a pastry chef is to present his work to a crowd of people who will fall in love with his edible works of art.

cafemagazine.com 31

Education is the foundation —for everything With that in mind, Diageo and Café Media have partnered to create the Diageo Celebrate the Future Scholarship Fund, encouraging continued education in the hospitality industry.

Your participation starts with a sip! In June, a portion of the proceeds from your Buchanan brands purchase will be donated to the fund.

Learn how you can partake in the program; visit www.cafemagazine.com/future.

BUCHANAN’S Blended Scotch Whisky. 40% Alc/Vol. ©2009 Imported by Diageo, Norwalk, CT. Buchanan’s: Drink Responsibly.

caféfilter

artdepartment FAMILIA

Kids enjoy recreational, athletic and cultural activities as part of the Chicago Park District summer day camps. | Photo courtesy of Chicago Park District

CampingOut words

Belia Ortega

Your child can do much more than sing ‘Kumbaya’ at these summer camps Summertime in the region offers local youth the opportunity to explore creative outlets or fine-tune their athletic skills through various programs. The following is a list of Chicagoland summer programs to help you on your search for the perfect fit. cafemagazine.com 33

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Weeklong, half-day camps are available for kids looking for the real deal and who want to learn the latest drills from the professional instructors of the Chicago Bulls Basketball Schools. More than 90 locations in the Chicago area. Want basketball and baseball in one camp? Enroll in full-day, weeklong programs that help kids improve in both sports.

Chicago Fire Camps & Training (708) 496-6774 chicago.fire.mlsnet.com/t100/youth/player_ development/camps/ Youth summer programs to help develop young soccer players. More than 100 locations in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

Arts, crafts and performing arts The Kohl Children’s Museum’s Summer Discovery Camps provide nine weeks of programs for children ages 3-5. | Photo courtesy of the Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago

Recreation Chicago Park District (312) 742-PLAY www.chicagoparkdistrict.com The Chicago Park District offers summer day camps and sports programs beginning June 22 for more than 20,000 children at many of its 570 park locations. During the six-week sessions, campers ages 6-12 spend a day at the pool, take field trips throughout the Chicago area, and join various recreational, environmental, athletic and cultural activities.

Specialty camps include soccer, arts and culture, babysitting, cooking, cheerleading, gymnastics, dance, karate and lifeguarding.

YMCA www.ymcachgo.org www.indymca.org The YMCA offers summer day camps at its Chicago, suburban and regional locations.

Children partake in indoor and outdoor activities, including sports, the arts, games, acting and field trips. Campers also participate in weekly workshops with health professionals to learn about nutrition, exercise and healthy living. Financial assistance is available.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago http://www.bgcc.org/programs_services/ summer_programs.asp Full-day programs provide a safe, supervised and affordable environment. Activities include field trips to baseball games, water parks and museums. Hours and costs vary per club.

34 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Sports Windy City Fieldhouse 2367 W. Logan Blvd., Chicago (773) 486-7300, ext. 555 www.windycityfieldhouse.com/Programs_ At_The_Fieldhouse/Youth_Programs/Classes_Camps/ Programs are tailored for beginners through higher-skilled teens. Toddlers and grade-schoolers are introduced to fundamentals in sports such as T-ball, soccer, kickball and basketball. Youth sports include soccer, kickball, tennis, baseball and basketball.

Fox Valley Park District www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org Kids kick, shoot, spike and score their way into the recreation and sports summer camps of the Fox Valley Park District and learn the basics of volleyball, soccer, basketball and more. Camps consist of individual and team drills, as well as games and tournaments. Locations in Aurora and Batavia.

University of Illinois Flames Athletic Center 839 W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago (312) 996-2409 www.uicflames.com Four-day camp for basketball enthusiasts ages eight to 18 with the coaching staff and players of the UIC Flames basketball team.

Chicago Bulls and White Sox (630) PLAYBALL (752-9225) www.bullssoxacademy.com

Lillstreet Art Center 4401 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago (773) 769-4226 www.lillstreet.com The Kidstreet weeklong summer camp program offers introductory to high-level art classes for children from age 3 to teens.

Classes include clay and multimedia, wheel throwing, metals, sewing, painting and drawing, and mosaic artwork. Students are taught by the center’s instructors. Sessions begin June 8; fees start at $125.

Prisco Community Center 150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora (630) 859-8606 www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org Kids who love to perform will learn from local actors, singers and dancers. Options include “Broadway Bound Musical Theater,” “Melody Makers Voice” and “Dance Fever” camps. There will be a performance on the last day of camp. Several dates to choose from; fees start at $45.

Old Town School of Folk Music 909 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago www.oldtownschool.org New this summer, the Old Town School is offering a summer camp for kids ages 11-15 interested in exploring world music. The month-long, six-hour camp offers young musicians an opportunity to try new music genres and video-journal their experience. At the end of each monthly session, the students perform a live concert.

After-camp activities and extended hours are available for an additional fee. Financial aid is available.

familia

Lookingglass Theatre Company 821 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago (773) 477- 9257, ext. 193 www.lookingglasstheatre.org SUMMERGLASS at Lookingglass Theatre offers 7- to 14-year-olds a chance to explore stage work with trained instructors. During the two-week sessions, campers learn some of the same techniques used in the theater’s live performances. At the end of each session, the students will perform an original adaptation on the theater’s Main Stage at the Water Tower Water Works. Sessions start June 15 at $600 each.

The School of Performing Arts 200 E. 5th St., Naperville / 13717 S. Route 30, Plainfield (630) 717-6622 / (815) 439-0400 www.schoolofperformingarts.com Dance, music, drama and art combine in different summer programs at the Naperville and Plainfield locations of The School of Performing Arts. Weekly activities are based on new themes. Offerings include the “Broadway Mini Camps” and “Cabaret Camp for Vocalists.”

Improv Playhouse Performing Arts Camps 116 W. Lake St., Libertyville (847) 968-4529 www.improvplayhouse.com/summer_camps.html These camps cater to aspiring artists interested in drama, acting, music, improvi-

sational theater, fashion and print modeling.

Locations in Libertyville, Round Lake Beach and Vernon Hills.

depending on your schedule and your child’s needs. Starts June 15; fees start at $160 per week.

Nature, animals and science

Dr. Shawn’s Science Adventure Camps SciTech Hands On Museum 18 W. Benton St., Aurora (630) 859-3434, x228 scitech.mus.il.us/brochurehome09.html Kids will learn about the chemistry of baking, collect clues to solve a crime, build rockets and airplanes, or explore the insect world.

Starts July 6; $225 per camp.

Lincoln Park Zoo 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago (312) 742-2000 www.lpzoo.org/education/camps.html The zoo’s Conservation Camp offers two weeklong programs for preschoolers to 8thgraders. Campers will learn about the different jobs at the zoo, animal habitats, the environment and how animals function in the world. Starting June 15; fees from $112 per week.

Brookfield Zoo 8400 31st St., Brookfield (708) 485-2200 www.brookfieldzoo.org The zoo’s Summer Day Camp programs teach children fun facts about the animals there and will take them throughout the zoo to learn about threatened wildlife. Ten weeks to choose from starting June 8. Cost starts at $135 per week.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum 2430 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago (773) 755-5100 www.naturemuseum.org This nature summer camp allows children to explore the mysteries of nature through art, music and hands-on activities in nature and with live animals. Programs are offered for children beginning at age 4. Camps start July 20; fees from $365 per week.

Blackberry Farm 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora (630) 892-1550 www.foxriverparkdistrict.org Kids discover “Little House on the Prairie” life and learn how to fish and gather eggs, among other activities. Several dates to choose from; fees start at $45.

More than 20,000 children participate in the Chicago Park District summer day camps. | Photo courtesy of Chicago Park District

Summer Discovery Camps Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago 2100 Patriot Blvd., Glenview (847) 832-6600 www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org/visit/events/ camp2009 Whether it’s hands-on or outdoors activities, Summer Discovery Camps provide nine weeks of programs for children ages 3-5.

Choose as many programs as you want

Special needs Chicago Park District (312) 742-PLAY www.chicagoparkdistrict.com The Chicago Park District offers a camp sign program for deaf and hard-of-hearing youth ages 6-12. Activities include swimming, arts and crafts, field trips, fishing and tennis.

West Suburban Special Recreation Association (847) 455-2100 www.wssra.net Age-appropriate and ability-based camps for participants ages 3-22 who have a disability and/or receive special education. Starts June 22. Fees begin at $223 per week. Financial assistance is available.

Music Institute of Chicago 517 Green Bay Road, Wilmette (847) 448-8339 www.musicinstituteofchicago.org An integrated arts program for children with special needs focusing on facilitating socialization with peers. Arts-based program includes visual and performing arts in the Lake Forest and Evanston campuses. Starts June 22. Fees from $280 per week.

UIC/JCYS Camp Star 800 Clavey Road, Highland Park (312) 996-3582 or (847) 433-6001, ext. 108 www.jcys.org/campstar Camp Star is a collaboration between the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Institute for Juvenile Research and the Jewish Council for Youth Services to provide therapeutic services to children with ADHD and related disorders. Scholarships are available. Starts June 15.

cafemagazine.com 35

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¡Qué fresco!

Grab the moment with these delicious options for eating outdoors Dining al fresco is a natural part of the Latino lifestyle. In Spain, homes were built around courtyards, and throughout Latin America outdoor cafés crowd sidewalks almost year-round. In Chicago, however, the weather becomes a factor. So, when the sun’s warm rays grace our porches and patios, we need to grab the moment.

Since outdoor dining tends to be more casual, don’t stress out about what to serve or how it’s presented.

Just keep a few special items in the pantry for last-minute entertaining. If you’re able to plan ahead, this is the time to try some unique cheeses and wines for easy and elegant al fresco entertaining.

You can find many of the items listed here at your local supermarket or try online at www.latienda.com.

words photos

Christina Chavez Weitman alBerto Treviño

Delicious pickled fruit from the wild flowering bush that produces caper buds.

Caperberries:

Roasted piquillo peppers: These

may look like roasted red peppers, but with the intense smoky flavor and unique triangle shape, you’ll quickly taste and see the difference.

Roasted

Yellow

Peppedews:

Sweet and spicy, this pickled pepper is delicious on its own or stuffed with goat cheese.

Eggplant Caponata: This slightly

vinegary, slightly sweet eggplant salad is an Italian staple. Serve it with Italian or pita bread.

Olives: Say goodbye to canned black olives. There are many different varieties now available at supermarket “olive bars” as well as in jars. Try olives stuffed with garlic or jalapeños or tiny French black olives.

Marcona almonds: These large, flat

Spanish almonds are delicious as they are or slightly toasted.

36 Café MAY | JUNE2009

congusto Cheeses

Spreads

Sausages

Manchego: This is the definitive Spanish

Huckleberry jam: Plump, purple wild

Cantimpalo chorizo:

cheese made from the milk of Spanish Manchego sheep. A buttery cheese with a spicy nutty flavor and a soft and crumbly texture, it pairs well with hard cooked sausages or Serrano ham.

huckleberries are so delicate they have to be handpicked. The flavor is robust and mildly sweet.

Fig spreads: A rich, sweet partner to

Aged Mahon: From the island of

cheeses. Try the spreads that have a hint of orange peel.

The beef and pork for this sausage are ground separately with a different coarseness so that the finished product has a unique double texture.

It is seasoned with coarsely ground black pepper, cumin and smoky paprika.

Menorca, this tangy and sharp cow’s milk cheese is reminiscent of well-aged cheddar. This cheese is terrific with olives or topped with a tapenade.

Tapenade: This spreadlike condiment can be made from black or green olives, sun-dried tomatoes or artichokes.

Sambal oelek: Made with only ground red chilies, this condiment adds heat and balances the sweetness of some of the other spreads.

Salchichon de Vic:

This rich, fatty sausage resembles Italian Genoa salami. It is seasoned with garlic, salt and peppercorns with a hint of cinnamon.

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HighToPs-LowsFlows

2 3

1

5 4

Step stylishly into a new season for shoes Although the warm weather inspires laid-back looks, you shouldn’t forgo a clean, stylish finish to your overall casual fashion sense. Here we showcase some of the latest styles in sneaker and boat shoes to keep you looking cool as the mercury rises.

1 Creative Recreation Milano Hi in Grey/ Brown , $176

2 PF-Flyers Glide High Top in Brown, $189

3 Tretorn Strala Somma Rubber Boot in Navy, $69

4 Converse by John Varvatos CVO Wing Slip in Black, $125

5 Hugo Boss Pockey Shoe in Gold, $289

all styles available at akira

38 Café MAY | JUNE2009

FASHION

FROMHeal ToToe

Skyscraper heels and caged footwear are the rage of the season Jeweled metallics and studded gladiators remain a warm weather staple, but the shoes making the loudest statement are bolder. Heels are higher, platforms are chunkier, colors are brighter, and toes are rounder. And, for those times when heels become a real pain, candy rainbow flats will keep your feet looking happy.

Corso Como Greer in Platinum Metallic, $149

Sam Edelman Tate Woven Wedge in Chestnut, $154

Report SIgnature Lucie 2 in White, $179

Chinese Laundry Hiatus Flat in Multi, $56

all styles available at akira

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caféFILTER | BEAUTY

Scents to welcome warmer days

With the sun shining longer and stronger, there’s no better time to switch to a new fragrance to keep you feeling and smelling as fresh as a blossoming flower.

Vera Wang Rock Princess A tropically moody blend of night-blooming jasmine, creamy coconut, and iris. $32-$72 Available at sephora.com

Ralph Lauren Romance Always Yours Just as fabulous as the original version, but more so with yellow freesia, ginger, and white violet. $60-$72 Available at ralphlauren.com

Elizabeth Arden Pretty This new scent contains feminine notes including orange blossom, peach, and white peony. $49-$62 Available at shop. elizabetharden.com

40 Café MAY | JUNE2009

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom An interesting mix of grapefruit and apricot with floral hints of jasmine and rose. $40-$70 Available at ulta.com

W OR DS OF WISD OM :

“dime con q uién andas y Te diré q uién eres.”

H A R R I S WORDS TO LIVE BY:

“DIME Q UÉ LO GROS Q UIERES ALCANZ AR Y NOSOTROS TE AYUDARE MOs.” MOS.”

Harris® is a trade name used by Harris N.A. and its affiliates. Member FDIC

harrisbank.com

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Climb on board

Nonprofit leadership programs help Latinos navigate the board room words photo

Gloria Elena Alicea Jillian Sipkins

ABOVE: Gloria Castillo is the president of Chicago United.

42 CafĂŠ MAY | JUNE2009

If your career plan includes one day becoming president or CEO of a corporation, think of yourself as a mountain climber in training: You need more experienced climbers to show you proper climbing strategies, risk-assessment skills, obstacle management know-how, disaster preparedness and rescue techniques before you can reach Mount Everest-like heights.

All too often, however, lack of guidance keeps many professionals of color from climbing to the top. That is why a growing number of organizations are offering board training programs, networking opportunities and executive forums for business professionals. Here, they

can learn from more experienced executives how to navigate the board room, network with senior management and climb the corporate ranks.

In the Chicago area, many Latinos are learning valuable career-enhancing strategies from leadership development programs provided by

getahead

Chicago United and the Arts & Business Council of Chicago, among other organizations.

The president of Chicago United, Gloria Castillo, says she had no idea what to expect the first time she agreed to serve on the board of directors of a nonprofit organization, even though she was already an accomplished advertising professional and was helping to run a family business.

“I didn’t have a clue of what I was doing [when I joined the board],” she recalls. She says she had to learn on her own many fundamentals that her non-Latino business colleagues already knew.

She has since become one of the most prominent Latinas in Chicago’s business community. Castillo has served on the boards of some of the city’s leading civic and cultural institutions, including the City Colleges of Chicago and the Goodman Theatre. “Serving on a nonprofit board helps you build the career skill sets needed to land an executive position,” says Castillo. “If you’ve never presented to a board of directors, you’re never going to see yourself in line of succession to a CEO position.”

Castillo now heads an organization that provides professional development as well as networking opportunities that help business executives of color advance to positions of senior management.

“When you serve on the board of an agency, you learn profit and loss management and product development of programs and services. You learn how to budget, market and staff the agency,” she says. “Equally as important, you learn how to build new networks and how to leverage those relationships.”

Chicago United is an advocacy organization of racially diverse corporate members that aims to expand the talent pool of senior-level executives of color, and diversify the leadership ranks and boards of the region’s corporations. The organization provides a speaker series, Employee Network Group Forums, a national leadership conference and an annual Racial Business Forum Series where business leaders discuss issues of leadership, ethnic diversity and opportunities in the corporate world.

For business executives who want to contribute their expertise to the city’s nonprofit community, Chicago United has BoardLink, an electronic referral source where leaders of color looking for board opportunities can post their availability and nonprofit organizations can post their openings.

Castillo says there are plans to provide a training program that teaches the administrative, legal, financial and fundraising responsibilities of serving on corporate and nonprofit boards. It would work, she says, much like the successful OnBoard program of the Arts & Business Council of Chicago that prepares business professionals to serve on the boards of the city’s arts and cultural institutions.

“Almost 40 percent of [this year’s] OnBoard class identified themselves as Hispanic,” says Anna Sullivan, program manager of the Arts & Business Council of Chicago.

The Arts & Business Council launched OnBoard a decade ago to prepare professionals for the challenges and responsibilities of board service. Since then, the program has placed 130 professionals on the boards of the city’s arts organizations. “We prepare them to feel at ease in the board room, to work as a team member and to be effective from day one,” explains Sullivan.

The recent surge in Latino participants, she says, is the result of the partnerships they have formed with several Latino organizations like the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement and El Valor.

Resources for Latino professionals in Chicago Chicago United: (312) 977-3060, chicago-united.org Arts & Business Council of Chicago: (312) 372-1876, www.artsbiz-chicago.org Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement: (312) 435-0498, www.hace-usa.org The Chicago Community Trust’s Latino Giving Circle: (312) 616-8000, Ext. 355 www.cct.org The Women’s Business Development Center’s Latina Business Program: (312) 853-3477, www.wbdc.org

THE RIGHT TIME

If you are contemplating joining a board, Sullivan says to ask yourself: Is it the right time in your career to start contributing your skills as a board member of a company or organization?

“Serving on a board is a tremendous professional development opportunity to apply your leadership skills in a real life context on a high level, and to help shape the direction of an organization,” she says. But, she explains, it requires a tremendous amount of commitment and fundraising responsibilities. Nonprofit organizations are now facing tremendous challenges, says Sullivan. This is the best time to “help organizations transition through the storm.”

She says serving on a board is an opportunity to enhance your career skills, to give back to your community at a leadership level and to meet other professionals who are working toward a common cause.

OnBoard participants gain an in-depth understanding of the role of the board of directors and study the practices of effective highperforming boards. They learn the legal, fiduciary and fundraising roles and responsibilities of board members.

The OnBoard program consists of five monthly four-hour sessions with arts managers, fundraisers and experienced board members of arts organizations. “It’s a graduate business-caliber workshop environment,” Sullivan says. Participants are generally mid-level professionals with at least five years of experience in their field, and they represent a range of professional backgrounds, ethnicities and ages, from people in their late 20s to those in their 60s.

At the beginning of the program, candidates get a list of 40 organizations seeking board members. They then attend a networking event that gives them an opportunity to get to know the different organizations. “This leads to a better quality match,” says Sullivan “It’s like buying a house. You don’t want to buy the first house you see.”

The cost of OnBoard enrollment is $2,000. Many companies sponsor their employees, says Sullivan, because it’s a way for firms to show their commitment to the community. OnBoard also awards scholarships to qualified candidates.

Gloria Castillo praises OnBoard’s progress in placing Latinos on the boards of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations. Because Latinos are such a fast-growing population, she says, “cultural organizations will not thrive without Latinos on boards of directors.” cafemagazine.com 43

09 Southwest Airlines Co. ©2009 Southwest Airlines Co. ©2009 Southwest Airlines Co.

LOW FARES. FARES. NO HIDDEN HIDDEN FEES. FEES. WEDON’t DON’tcHARgE cHARgEFOR FORtHINgS tHINgStHAt tHAtSHOuLD SHOuLDbEbEFREE FREE WE

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artdepartment coverStory

Casualties of

war Three Latino families remember their relatives fallen in combat words

Rafael Romo photos Stacie Freudenberg

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T

Time is not making the death in combat of Omar E. Torres any easier for his parents Omar and Doris.

he Secretary of Defense regrets to inform you…”

The words are said slowly, solemnly, respectfully. By the time they’re uttered, however, it’s already too late. A mother, a father or a wife already knows why the men dressed in impeccable military uniforms have come knocking at the door.

They are the messengers of terrible news that military families would rather not receive: Their son, daughter, husband or wife have been killed in action.

Their names will be forever inscribed in the growing list of the KIAs, the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

“The Secretary of Defense regrets to inform you…”

46 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Thousands of families and loved ones have heard those words in the last seven years.

The war in Afghanistan, called Operation Enduring Freedom, started Oct. 7, 2001. The war in Iraq, named Operation Iraqi Freedom, has been going on since March 20, 2003. The number of soldiers fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan since both wars began is rapidly approaching 5,000.

The number of service members from Illinois who have lost their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq may reach 200 soon; among them are more than a dozen Latinos, including Pfc. Omar E. Torres, Staff Sgt. Jason A. Vazquez and Lance Cpl. Jesse de la Torre.

OMAR E. TORRES Omar E. Torres died on Aug. 22, 2007 from wounds caused by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad. He was 20 years old. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based in Fort Hood, Texas.

His father, Oscar Torres, a Chicago firefighter, is still trying to cope with the loss. “He was a character. He was always trying to make you laugh,” he said of his youngest son.

Omar Torres attended St. Richard Elementary School on Chicago’s Southwest Side, where he developed a love for team sports. He became passionate about football in high school at De La Salle Institute. He received a full scholarship to attend Ohio State University after graduating in 2005.

On his first year at OSU, and while taking classes as part of the Reserve

COVERSTORY Officers’ Training Corps program, he decided to join the U.S. Army Reserves without telling his family. “We didn’t have that conversation,” his father says. “I got home one day and I was going to cut the grass and I got the mail. And in the mail I saw something that said Private Omar Torres. I didn’t pay too much attention to it and I said, ‘Private? It doesn’t sound good.’ And I finished cutting the grass.

While cutting the grass it hit me like a ton of bricks. I said, ‘Private, Pvt., that’s private for the military.’”

Omar confirmed the news in a phone conversation. His father says Omar had made up his mind about it and he wasn’t changing his decision. “He said, ‘That’s something I want to do.’ And then when he came home for spring break we talked about it. He gave me his pros and cons, and I told him what I thought. And I couldn’t have him leave on a negative note [so] I just gave him my blessing.”

Among his most treasured possessions, Oscar Torres keeps a letter written by his son in college, a year before he left for Iraq. Torres says the letter is a testament to his son’s drive and dreams of becoming an elected official one day.

In the letter, Omar writes about the best lesson he ever received in his life. “The best advice I have ever received was given to me when I was barely six years old. The advice was never to stop,” he wrote. “Actually the advice was never to stop running because I was competing in my elementary school’s annual track and field day. I fell down and my father told me to get up and never to stop running. I won the race.”

In high school and college he had read the biographies of American political leaders such as President John F. Kennedy and former presidential candidates John McCain and John Kerry. He learned that all of them had served in the military. Because of their example, he made the decision to enlist while pursuing a degree in political science with a minor in Chinese language studies at OSU. Omar’s father rejoices in his son’s many accomplishments during his short life. In August it will be two years since the young soldier died, but time is not making the loss any easier. “You have your ups and downs. Some days are good; some days you think about it and you wake up with a cold sweat,” Torres says. Omar E. Torres is survived by his parents Oscar and Doris; his sister, Oralia; and his brother, Oscar Jr.

Jose Antonio Vazquez was very supportive of his son Jason’s decision to join the military.

JASON A. VAZQUEZ “I’m proud of my son for what he did.

I don’t second-guess one bit what he did with his life.” These are the words of Jose Antonio Vazquez, father of Staff Sgt. Jason Anthony Vazquez. The 24-year-old member of the Illinois Army National Guard died Sept. 17 in Gerdia Seria, Afghanistan, after his military vehicle struck a roadside bomb in the middle of an early morning operation. He had been in Afghanistan for only three weeks when he was killed.

His father says Vazquez loved his family. He always took time to call his grandparents, who live in the West

Humboldt Park neighborhood, and even while serving in Afghanistan he would try to reach out to different family members as often as he could.

Shortly after graduating from Schurz High School, Vazquez decided to enlist in the Guard. The Logan Square resident attended Triton College, where he was trained in both military police and cannon crew duties. His father says he was 100 percent supportive when Jason told him six years ago about his decision to join the military: “My son died for his country and he died a hero.

We’re losing every day two, three, four teenagers in gangs. They’re losing their

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Aureliano de la Torre admits he was not happy about his son Jesse’s decision to enlist.

lives because their parents are not there for them.”

Jason Vazquez, who also was a Cook County correctional officer, was deployed to Afghanistan last summer.

His dream was to become a Chicago police officer, his father says, and he was planning to move in that direction as soon as his military service ended.

His uncle Hector del Valle is on the force. Several of Vazquez’s relatives have served in the military, but he is the first to die in the line of duty. He was supposed to return home in June and had plans to marry his girlfriend, Genevieve Gonzalez, on Labor Day, Jose Vazquez says.

On Nov. 10, almost two months af-

48 Café MAY | JUNE2009

ter his death, Vazquez was honored by a resolution introduced by Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldonado.

“Jason Vazquez’s selfless dedication to the happiness of others touched his every action, whether it was planting flowers in his grandmother’s garden, helping raise his fiancée’s 8-yearold daughter, or bravely protecting his country in the battlegrounds of the U.S. war on terror,” Maldonado said.

Jason Vazquez received the Army Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Forces Reserve Medal for his distinguished service in defense of his country. Vazquez is survived by his father; his mother, Lisa; and his siblings, Janice and José.

JESSE DE LA TORRE It’s a chilly, but sunny spring morning.

About 50 people gather just after sunrise at a park by the Fox River and Illinois Avenue in Aurora. They have a mission: to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Among the attendants forming a circle by a war memorial are Aureliano de la Torre and his 15-year-old son, Juan. They are here to honor the memory of Jesse de la Torre, their son and brother.

Before the ceremony begins, Aureliano de la Torre remembers his son. He looks up and takes a deep breath before he speaks: “He was very kind-hearted.

He was very charismatic, very happy. He was always smiling. People knew him because of his contagious smile.” That’s all he manages to say. His eyes well up with tears and he looks down, visibly saddened by the loss of his son.

COVERSTORY

Remembering Our Fallen

Following is a partial list of all the Latinos who have given up their lives serving this country in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. You can find a complete list by visiting www.defendamerica.mil/ fallen.html.

CPL Roberto Abad, 22, Los Angeles, CA, died Aug. 6, 2004, Operation Iraqi Freedom SSG. Roberto Andrade, Jr., 26, Chicago, IL, died Jan. 18, 2009, Operation Iraqi Freedom MAJ Jeffrey Ray Calero, 34, Queens, NY, died July 29, 2007, Operation Enduring Freedom SPC Miguel Carrasquillo, 25, River Grove, IL, died August 9, 2005, Operation Iraqi Freedom CPL Romel Catalan, 21, Los Angeles, CA, died June 2, 2007, Operation Iraqi Freedom SGT Steven Checo, 22, Bronx, NY, died Dec. 21, 2002, Operation Enduring Freedom SSG Pedro Jesus Colon, 25, Cicero, IL, died Feb. 19, 2007, Operation Iraqi Freedom PFC Joseph Cruz, 22, Los Angeles, CA, died Oct. 16, 2005, Operation Enduring Freedom

Los Angeles, CA, died Feb. 28, 2006, Operation Enduring Freedom LCPL Alberto Francesconi, 21, Bronx, NY, died Jan. 1, 2009, Operation Enduring Freedom SGT Israel Garcia, 24, Los Angeles, CA, died July 13, 2008, Operation Enduring Freedom SPC Zachariah Jared Gonzalez, 23, Indianapolis, IN, died July 31, 2007, Operation Iraqi Freedom SGT Rodrigo Gonzalez-Garza, 26, San Antonio, TX, died Feb. 25, 2003, Operation Enduring Freedom LCPL David James Grames Sanchez, 22, Fort Wayne, IN, died May 11, 2006, Operation Iraqi Freedom SSGT Edgar Alberto Heredia, 28, Houston, TX, died June 26, 2008, Operation Enduring Freedom SPC Arturo Huerta-Cruz, 23, Clearwater, FL, died April 14, 2008, Operation Iraqi Freedom PVT Edwardo Lopez, Jr., 21, Aurora, IL, died Oct. 10, 2006, Operation Iraqi Freedom MAJ Michael Ray Martinez, 43, Columbia, MO, died Jan. 7, 2006, Operation Iraqi Freedom

MSG Emigdio Efrain Elizarraras, 37,

LCPL Rene Martinez, 20, Miami, FL, died Sept. 24, 2006, Operation Iraqi Freedom

Marine Lance Cpl. Jesse de la Torre died on April 16, 2007, in Iraq’s Anbar Province. The 29-year-old Aurora native was on his second tour of duty. His father says the 1998 East Aurora High School graduate was “very religious.

Sometimes he would bring eight or ten other young men home that he had befriended to talk to them about the Bible.

He was very dedicated to his church and liked to help those in need.” Aureliano de la Torre admits he was not happy at first about his son’s decision to enlist.

“I told him he was crazy and asked him what he was thinking,” he said. “He said that he wanted to serve his country, that his fellow countrymen were dying and that he couldn’t keep his arms crossed.”

Juan, De la Torre’s youngest brother and a sophomore in high school, says the soldier was also a great musician.

“He played an amazing saxophone,” he says. But among the best memories he has of his brother one stands out: “He used to work at Toys “R” Us and he would come back with a bag full of toys

1SG Bobby Mendez, 38, Brooklyn, NY, died April 27, 2006, Operation Iraqi Freedom SGT Melvin Yamil Mora, 27, Columbia, MO, died June 6, 2004, Operation Iraqi Freedom SPC Jaime Moreno, 28, Round Lake Beach, IL, died Oct. 10, 2004, Operation Iraqi Freedom JRSGT Roger Pina Pena, Jr., San Antonio, TX, died June 14, 2006, Operation Enduring Freedom LCPL Angel Ramon Ramirez, 27, Brooklyn, NY, died Feb. 21, 2007, Operation Iraqi Freedom LCPL Hector Ramos, 20, Aurora, IL, died Jan. 26, 2005, Operation Iraqi Freedom SSG Jonathan Rojas, 27, Hammond, IN, died Oct. 3, 2006, Operation Iraqi Freedom SPC Ashley Sietsema, 20, Melrose Park, IL, died Nov. 11, 2007, Operation Iraqi Freedom MSG Wilberto Sabalu Jr., 36, Philomath, IL, died May 6, 2007, Operation Enduring Freedom SSG Oscar Dario Vargas-Medina, 32, Chicago, IL, died May 1, 2004, Operation Iraqi Freedom Source: U.S. Dept. of Defense

and drop them on me and my sister. I was like five or six at the time.”

As sad as he is about losing his brother, Juan de la Torre has enrolled in ROTC and plans to enlist in the Marines as soon as he graduates from high school. Not only does he want to follow in his brother’s footsteps, he says it’s his duty. “It’s what one president asked us,” he says. “What have you done for this country? If you become a Marine, you don’t have a problem answering that question.”

cafemagazine.com 49

Bringing you the very best of the contemporary Latino lifestyle each month‌ Subscribe online by June 1 to receive the next issue in your mailbox. www.cafemagazine.com

micasa

LivingHistory Inside NBC-5’s Zoraida Sambolin’s historical home, family rules

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Darhiana Mateo Akin Girav stylist Bridget Johnson words

photos

Zoraida Sambolin of NBC-5 has a confession to make about her family: They’re total homebodies. And when “home” is a sprawling 22-room, two-story mansion in one of Oak Park’s historic districts, it’s easy to see why.

Built in 1905 by George W. Maher, a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Prairie Style home occupies a coveted spot on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside the cream-colored stucco brick façade, lovingly preserved for over a century, past meets present — Sambolin style.

Before settling into the home with her husband, John Hobbs, and then-5-year-old son

52 Café MAY | JUNE2009

five years ago, Sambolin was a self-described “nomad,” never staying in one place for long. But the new mother, who was already dreaming of a second child, knew children needed roots. And she had just the neighborhood in mind.

As a teenager, Sambolin, who at the time lived in the adjacent Austin neighborhood, remembers peering at the breathtaking mansions as she

micasa

sitting stoically on the tree-lined, serene stretch of Euclid Street, in spring 2004. “When I first walked into the house, I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, I found my home,’ ” she says.

PAST MEETS PRESENT

With its long, horizontal lines meant to evoke the prairie landscape, the house’s architectural elements embody the prairie philosophy proudly.

“There’s some warmth to it,” Sambolin says. “I liked the softness of the house. I liked the large rooms — we have a huge [extended] family.”

The challenge, she says, is the constant balancing act between respecting the integrity of the original design and claiming the space as their own.

Before making any changes to the façade of the house, even something as simple as replacing the basement windows, she has to embark on a lengthy approval process spearheaded by the Village of Oak Park. “It’s a bit of a struggle,” she says. Except for some limitations, the interior of the house is up to her.

Throughout the space, original elements have been preserved through the decades.

There’s the delicate stained glass windows on the second floor landing and sides of the house; the faded, elegant bronze and glass wooden light fixtures; an imposing brick fireplace — in the process of being restored — and the reddish orange tiles.

Scattered throughout, however, are signs that the close-knit family — Sambolin, her husband, and their kids Nicolas, 10, and Sofia, 5 — is also leaving its own imprint.

FAMILY FAVORITES

ABOVE: The ample formal dining room accomodates Sambolin’s large family gatherings.

cruised through Oak Park and thinking, “I will have a house in Oak Park one day.”

Even then she hinted at the kind of resolve that would launch a successful career as co-anchor of NBC 5 News Today and special assignment reporter and fill-in news anchor for Telemundo Chicago, breaking new ground as the first on-air broadcaster to work at both English and Spanish-language stations simultaneously.

After three years of looking on and off for the perfect place to lay down roots, their real estate agent opened the doors of the mansion,

One of the family’s favorite gathering spots is the completely redone kitchen, which boasts radiant floor heating. “We gutted the old one and started over,” she says. A huge granite countertop island commands the center of the room. An old-fashioned pizza oven straight out of a quaint neighborhood pizza parlor stands out amid the modern amenities.

On this particular Saturday afternoon in March, the family had a pizza party to celebrate Nicolas’ basketball team’s last game of the season. But instead of ordering from Giordano’s, “I put them to work,” Sambolin says.

Under her watchful eye, the children rolled dough, poured sauce and carefully selected their favorite toppings. “This is how memories are made,” she says.

The second story is home to the family’s favorite getaways: their bedrooms. Sofia’s cafemagazine.com 53

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ABOVE: The kitchen boasts an old-fashioned pizza oven and a granite countertop island.

is a vision of pink with clouds painted in the ceiling and toy ponies and dolls scattered in happy disarray. In Nicolas’ room, the walls are adorned with colorful caricatures of his favorite animals: monkeys, camels and kangaroos. The cream-colored scheme of the spacious master bedroom, originally two separate bedrooms, echoes the rest of the house and evokes a sense of tranquility.

The mansion somehow manages to feel both homey and luxurious. “I wanted to make this a place where we can feel like we’re getting away, but we’re still home,” she says.

A JUGGLING ACT

As the second eldest of four girls in a humble but happy Puerto Rican family, the importance of family was instilled in Sambolin early on. “We were very poor, but I didn’t know it,” she says. “I

54 Café MAY | JUNE2009

was always surrounded by love and family. I felt rich in that sense.”

This is the same sense she’s trying to pass on to her kids. The home has become the unofficial gathering place for the large extended family, with 14 cousins and counting. “It’s the greatest gift you can give your children. It’s that sense that this is the base, this is where you can always come home,” she says.

Sambolin has become an expert at balancing career demands with motherhood. “Trying to figure out who you sacrifice at what point,” she says. “It’s that juggling act, coming to terms with the fact that your family can’t always be the priority.”

Her career means unusual hours. On a typical day, the alarm rings at 1:30 a.m. By 3 a.m., she is already out the door en route to the station, where every day is different, she says.

“It’s a little nutty all around,” she admits.

micasa A History Lesson With its “height and formality,” the George W. Maher landmark home embodies a more elegant spin on the low-slung, simplistic designs that characterized the Prairie architectural movement in the 1920s.

“It’s full of history and great architecture,” says Oak Park architect Douglas Gilbert. The home was selected for the upcoming Wright Plus housewalk, an event featuring interior tours of private homes and landmark buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his contemporaries.

Step through the arched entrance and you’re greeted by a grand hall, formal staircase, expert craftsmanship and big open spaces, says Gilbert, who researched the home’s architecture style and family history for this year’s housewalk May 16.

Preserving great architecture is an affirmation of the “continuity of life,” he says. The original owners were the Erwin family, with its brood of 10 children, who filled the home with the sounds of laughter and music, much like Sambolin’s family does today.

For more information about the 35th annual Wright Plus housewalk, visit www.wrightplus.org.

Lessons from mami that Zoraida Sambolin is passing on to her kids: -Dime con quién andas y te dire quién eres.

(“If I can instill anything in my children it’s that the people you choose to walk with in life will have the power to define you as an individual,” she says.)

-Honor the sacrifices your parents made for you.

-Have the courage to do what truly makes you happy.

-Never walk out of the house without doing your hair and makeup. (“Well, she tried to teach me that lesson,” Sambolin says.)

TOP: Just past the arched entrance, visitors are greeted by a grand hall. BOTTOM: The landing in between the two staircases is a great example of the house’s expert craftmanship.

A few hours later, and it’s back to mom mode. She picks up the kids from school, takes them to whatever events they have for the day, cooks dinner, helps with homework and tries unsuccessfully to be in bed by 6 p.m.

Before a general manager of NBC 5 took a “leap of faith” and offered her the opportunity to anchor the news on weekends in 2002, Sambolin had already been carving out a niche as a storyteller. She was the creator and Emmy awardwinning host of two parenting programs, “Small Talk for Parents” and its Spanish counterpart, “Nuestros Niños,” from 1992 to 2002.

Being able to communicate effectively in Spanish, a gift she is passionate about passing down to her kids, opened many doors for her throughout her career, she says. “When I started doing the parenting show, I did it in English. Someone challenged me to do it in Spanish. I was really intimi-

dated at first,” says Sambolin, who worried that her Puerto Rican dialect might not sit well with Chicago’s large Mexican population.

The success of the show eased any apprehension. Latino families in Chicago were eager for information, and her program tried to give them the tools they needed to successfully navigate what can be a daunting system, she says.

In 2002, after an agent submitted a tape of her work to NBC 5, Sambolin was called in to interview for what she thought would be “little vignettes on health and parenting.” Instead, she walked away as the new weekend news anchor. The following year, she began reporting for Telemundo at the same time.

The house’s rich past appeals to the storyteller and history buff in Sambolin. Her family is just the latest rung in a 106-year-old rope of memories. “I look at the house as something that we’re borrowing for the time being,” she says. “That’s the beauty of it.” cafemagazine.com 55

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alternativeSports

Rumbel ‘Juanna Rumbel’ takes very seriously the joys of motherhood ... and kicking ass in the roller derby rink words

Joel Frieders photos alBerto Treviño

Elizabeth “Juanna Rumbel” Gomez is the captain of The Fury roller derby team in Chicago.

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“Juanna Rumbel”, left, lands an elbow into her opponent during a match at the UIC Pavillion in Chicgo. INSET: more “Juanna Rumbel“ durring the game.

Get Rollin’ Learn more about the Windy City Rollers, buy tickets to matches, tryout, or become at fan at: www.windycity rollers.com

The juxtaposition of impenetrable hard ass and tender parental figure might be hard to imagine from the outside looking in. Balanced on eight wheels, delivering elbows of steel while raising two well mannered children, Juanna Rumbel dares you to try and knock her over.

in 1935 based on rules created by promoter Leo Seltzer. The sport met its demise in the mid ‘70s due to poor management and unconvincing staged theatrics. Recently women like “Juanna Rumbel” have been spearheading the revival of competitive roller derby.

If there were ever two opposites, roller derby and motherhood might work well as the Webster’s definition. One involves merciless attention to ripping spleens out of the helmeted women whizzing around you, the other focuses on leading by example, being tough without being closed minded and brushing off your rear when you’re knocked to the ground. Strength in both is a combination most would admire.

Alongside her closest friend Kelly Simmons, better known as Sister Sledgehammer, Rumbel took to the streets and drafted a league’s worth of tough chicks for the Windy City Rollers, an all female flattrack roller derby league in Chicago. Taking what they could get, the teams practiced wherever they could, carpooling out to the suburbs for afterhours sessions a few times a week.

As the captain of The Fury roller derby team, Elizabeth “Juanna Rumbel” Gomez maneuvers her way between both worlds. Seeing the Chicago Women’s Roller Derby scene reborn and personally striking the match that got the fire burning again is something she can take pride in. Her introduction to Roller Derby took place on a trip to Texas a few years ago. Rumbel says “I never saw the derby while there, but meeting a chick who was extremely warm and would kick my ass in a second did something to me. I became adamant about starting a league once I found out that there wasn’t one in Chicago.”

The first roller derby took place in Chicago

Slowly and surely, the league built steam and a solid place in Chicago’s altsports scene. Relying on its own members for financial support in the form of monthly dues, players must also be at least 21 years

alternativesports old, able to practice twice a week, have two legs, health insurance and zero testicles; in addition to being an active part of any number of committees within the league structure.

With no other expectation than to get hurt a lot, “Juanna Rumbel” and her wheeled friends are taking a seemingly underground activity and making it popular just by being themselves. The nicknames and makeup add to the mystique of each and every participant, but the pageantry doesn’t minimize the reality that this is indeed a sport and worthy of respect.

MOM WITHOUT LIMITS Gomez knows the dangers involved and with her 7 and 10 year old daughters (Zoe and Violet) in tow at most practices and matches, they are fully aware that their mother may have a few screws loose. “When I ask them if they would ever want to play they say ‘No, but it’s cool that you do.’ And when I ask them why, they respond by saying ‘Because we’re not crazy.’”

Regardless of their mothers’ sanity, she isn’t reckless with her responsibility of being a full time mom. When asked if there is anything that kicking ass has made her realize about motherhood, Gomez explains: “First, had it not been for derby, my daughters wouldn’t have a ton of wonderfully responsible, self assured, intelligent, boundary breaking, and driven women to look up to,” She says. “Secondly, I’ve learned that being a mom is about the same things as training for derby - focus, dedication, determination, support and having a lot, and I mean ALOT, of fun with the people who mean most in your life. I’ve learned that if I have no limits on what I can accomplish then neither do my daughters. Lastly, I am so busy between a full time job and derby that I really respect and appreciate the time that I’m with my girls.”

Indeed, her girls are privileged to have such a collected and open minded mother, who also mentions that her favorite hobby is laughing at her kids. The joy in being an ass-kicking mami leads her to encourage the children to laugh every day, “Your sense of humor is the best way to disarm people without letting them push you around.”

Gomez’s social awareness peeks through as well with her work as director of business and community relations for Chicago Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward). “He’s the best boss I’ve ever had.” She explains, “I am inspired by him. He firmly believes that residents must

be active members of the community in order to achieve goals that will benefit the whole.”

Chicago is her city, she says. The city is a distinction she carries with her and, when you meet her, also a huge part of how she raises her children.

When asked how she applies her culture to parenting, she replies “I encourage my kids to embrace being a Chicagoan before most other things.”

With the confidence she oozes in all aspects of her life, it’s almost difficult to pin down her nationality because she doesn’t hide behind it or use it to identify who she is. Rather, she defines her own culture by being a confident mother and athlete who just so happens to be half Puerto Rican, half Korean. When asked about her favorite part of being both, she replies.

“My favorite part about being Latin is being approached by other Latinos and then being given speeches about how I should know Spanish, and about being Korean? Free dry cleaning.”

Elizabeth Gomez, with her daughters Zoe, 7, left, and Violet, 10. Being a mom is a lot like training for derby, she says. It takes “focus, determination, support and having a lot of fun.”

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The painting that hangs above the coffee table is anything but unassuming. It is clearly a dauntless display of indomitable colors, audacious yet harmonious, making one yearn for the ocean and a hot summer day.

Erik Sosa-Kibby, the painter extraordinaire, has an easy laugh, hearty and lush, making him instantly approachable and alluring. The powerful combination of his engaging personality and undisputed talent, have made him extremely successful.

However, three years ago, this Mexican-Guatemalan artist placed his career on hold to pursue something he considers of much greater import: fatherhood.

“I have always wanted to be a father, especially to twins,” he explains. “My childhood was typical in many ways: we were poor and undocumented, and in search of the Ameri-

60 Café MAY | JUNE2009

can dream. My father had machista views and ways. He was very stern and remote, and I had a challenging time relating to him.

Having my own children has given me the opportunity to view things from his perspective, helping me close old wounds.”

It wasn’t until college that Erik officially told his family that he is gay. Telling his father was particularly stressful. However, it helped them understand each other better and the animosity was finally put aside. “He finally understood who I was and suddenly our differences

PROFILE

My two

dads Partners Erik and Mark SosaKibby’s saw their desires fulfilled with two bundles of joy words

Maria Mancia photos Eddie Quiñones

The decision to adopt Parker (left) and Cole (right) was an easy one for Mark and Erik Sosa-Kibby.

made sense,” he says. “That’s not to say that my dad was necessarily ecstatic. I was gay, but my family accepted me.”

Erik concedes that the challenges he and his family overcame have made him who he is today: “I do not regret one single thing I have experienced. How I interact with people, resolve issues and conceptualize my art is due to my past.”

Erik’s desires to be a father became reality when he met and fell in love with his now lifetime partner, Mark W. SosaKibby, a corporate executive. In the early stages of their relationship, they established their individual desires to have children. They are now happily settled into a house and a happy routine. They have also hyphenated their last names to symbolize their commitment to each other and to insure that they

will be recognized legally as a union.

“We had everything we could want: each other, wonderful friends, financial security and the support of our families,” Erik says. “It was obvious to us that we were ready to adopt, allowing us to raise and nurture a child in need of a better environment.”

A PLEASANT SURPRISE

Before long, they began the grueling period of navigating through the complex legal and emotional process of adoption.

For almost a year they underwent dozens of interviews with social workers, psychologists and lawyers.

Months later, Erik and Mark received word from the adop-

cafemagazine.com 61

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“My parents emphasized the importion agency that there was a child who tance of an education and a successful might be a good match. They immediatecareer. I was on the football and soccer ly flew to Guatemala. However, instead of teams in high school and participated in one child, there were two beautiful baby many school plays. But I was also conboys waiting. Suddenly the question befused about who I was back then: poor, came, “why not two boys?” The children Latino and gay. I want my sons to have all were not blood related, but they were born of the advantages I had, plus more, minus only 13 days apart. One was gravely ill the worries. I want them to be proud of and required immediate medical attention. their accomplishments and of having two The decision was easy: they adopted both fathers who care and provide for them,” boys, and Erik finally had the twins he alsays Erik. ways wanted.

Erik and Mark will soon celebrate their The boys, Cole and Parker, are healthy Want more?

10th anniversary. Together they are drivtoday and nearly 3 years old. Cole had a en by the desire to transcend stereotypes heart murmur and required medical care, Visit www.cafemagazine.com for and simply define themselves as a loving which he may never have received if not additional profiles of gay Latino fathers. Check out Erik’s art at family. for the adoption. Nowadays Parker is busy www.erikrsosa.com.

“The dynamics of our relationship are painting and Cole has discovered the no different than any other couple out harmonica. there, gay or straight,” Mark explains. “We The biggest obstacle Erik and Mark are currently facing is the nightmare of potty training. “Now that have good times and bad times. Our children make us fight the era of diapers has come and gone, the washing machine harder to keep our relationship moving forward.”

Erik also believes in teaching his sons the importance of is always spinning. It requires a lot of patience, and when we think they have mastered the art of the potty, they have a re- being altruistic. He leads by example, and has raised money lapse”, Erik explains. “It’s frustrating, but how can one be mad for the National Museum of Mexican Art, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. To at the cries of, ‘Papa, I potty in my undha-whaaa!!!’”

Erik’s days are filled with caring for the boys. He is a stay-at- date, he continues to donate pieces of his artwork and uses home dad and is deeply immersed in every aspect of his chil- his art openings to raise funds for organizations he supports.

“One day my sons will be faced with major decisions in life. dren’s lives. Among his biggest concerns are making sure the boys are well adjusted and receive a great education. Erik also I am confident that by then, they will have gained the skills to wants Cole and Parker to be cognizant of their heritage and choose wisely and become leaders,” Erik says. “Most imporis raising them to be bilingual. Mark is also bilingual, and even tantly, I hope they find happiness. Ultimately, we want Cole majored in psychology and Spanish literature in college. To- and Parker to know their parents love and support them, unconditionally.” gether, the family travels extensively through Latin America.

62 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Benetta Jenson, EVYP Advisory Board Ale Mehmedi, Friend of EVYP Host Committee Members Jose Melendez, EVYP Advisory Board Benetta Jenson, EVYP Advisory Board BrettAle Nolan, EVYP Advisory Mehmedi, Friend of EVYP Board Jose Melendez, EVYP Advisory e a s Lauren t vBrett i l lOliver, a g e yEVYP o u tAdvisory h p Board r o gBoard ra m’s Nolan, EVYP Advisory Board Beth Wallace, EVYP Advisory Board Lauren Oliver, EVYP Advisory Board Ryan Wiltshire, EVYP PrepBoard Coordinator Beth Wallace, EVYPACT Advisory

Ryan Wiltshire, EVYP ACT Prep Coordinator celebrating 20 years of making college dreams come true

Mr.

Honorary co-Chairs Commissioner Homero Tristán Tristán and Honorary co-Chairs Commissioner Homero and Mr. Juan Rangel, CEO of United Neighborhood Organization (UNO,) Juan Rangel, CEO of United Neighborhood Organization (UNO) invite you to

invite you to

East Village Youth Program’s Annual Spring Benefit East Village Youth Program’s Celebrating 20 Years Annual Spring Benefit

Celebrating Years Carnivale East Village Youth20 Program 702 W. Fulton, Chicago, IL Board of Directors Dr. Jess Levine, EVYP Founder Thursday, May 7, 2009 6 – 9pm

Carnivale 702 W. Fulton, Chicago, IL Thursday, May 7, 2009 6 – 9pm •

Mr. Alan Castro, President Mr. Henry A. Moya, Vice President Ticket $100 Ms. Rachelprice: Gross, Secretary Includes beer,Rodemeyer, wine, sangria,Treasurer mojitos Mr. Robert and Latin-inspired hors d’oeuvres.

Ms. Karishma Bhargava Ms. Roula Bobolis Mr. Joseph Esposito The evening will feature: Gilsilent Gibori Opportunities to Mr. bid on and live auction items Mr.featuring Jeremy Kirk • Live Music Rica Obsesión Ms. Mariann • Games of chanceMadden and raffles Ms. Jenny Nagaoka •Valet Parking Available Ms. Cindy Newton Live AuctionMs. MCJanet Gary Paradiso Metzner of Sotheby’s Mr. James Walsh

Ticket price: $100

Includes beer, wine, sangria, mojitos and Latin-inspired hors d’oeuvres.

The evening will feature:

• Opportunities to bid on silent and live auction items • Live Music featuring RicatheObsesión Buy your tickets online at www.evyp.org or return enclosed card Host Committee along with your check by MayMembers 1, 2009.

Jenson, Advisory You mayBenetta pick up your tickets atEVYP Carnivale the nightBoard of the event.

•Valet Parking Available

Ale Mehmedi, Friend of EVYP Jose Melendez, EVYP Advisory Board Brett Nolan, EVYP Advisory Board Lauren Oliver, EVYP EVYP Advisory For the past 20 years, hasBoard been making Beth Wallace, EVYP Advisory Board theWiltshire, dream of aEVYP college a reality for Ryan ACTeducation Prep Coordinator

Live Auction MC Gary Metzner of Sotheby’s

low- income youth in Chicago.

Buy your many tickets talented, online at www.evyp.org or return the enclosed card For theyour past years, EVYP has been along with20 your check May 1,making 2009.

With support, ourbyprograms prepare You maystudents pick your at education Carnivale the financially night the up dream oftickets a college aand reality for of the event. academically, socially Honorary co-Chairs Commissioner Homero Tristán and talented, lowincome youth Organization in Chicago. (UNO,) Mr. Juanmany Rangel, CEO United Neighborhood for ofthe college experience.

With your support, prepare inviteour youprograms to students academically, socially and financially for the college experience.

East Village Youth Program’s

Annual Spring Benefit Celebrating 20 Years Carnivale 702 W. Fulton, Chicago, IL Thursday, May 7, 2009 6 – 9pm

Thank you for your support. If you want more information about volunteering or donating to EVYP, please visit our website www.evyp.org or contact Ticket price: $100 us at 312-275-0440.

Includes beer, wine, sangria, mojitos and Latin-inspired hors d’oeuvres.

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. . . f i t Wha h ha c n e r F Th e

dw

de m o c n i c on

ayo

IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE… The United League of Latin American Nations welcomes you to the 47th celebration of Le Cinq Mai, our hemispheric observance of the coming of the French to the Americas and the rise of Imperial Mexico! words

Benjamin Ortiz

From the Arctic Circle to French loyalist strongholds in Chiapas, from cafes lining le centre historique where old Indian women drink café au lait a la Charlotte, to the expatriate bars where the children of the warriors of May 5 reminisce, cries of “VIVE LE CINQ MAI!” ring out with toasts of cheap Chardonnay and warmedover escargots served like elotes.

Descendants of Austrian and Hungarian Hussars, Belgian troops, French Foreign Legionnaires, and Egyptian and Sudanese conscripts gather at the bistros to regale each other with toasts to their long-passed forbears, the heroes of that long-ago battle that helped turn Mexico into a Euro-Indian nation, a force to be reckoned with in the Western hemisphere.

64 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Along the avenues leading to le Zócalo d’Mexique and le Palais Impériale, little children set fire and explode Judases in the likeness of Benito Juárez to celebrate the triumph of Emperor Maximilian, while upper-class art patrons enjoy the traveling exhibit of “Manet and the Execution by Guillotine of Juárez” at le Palais des Beaux-Arts.

Indeed, the entire North American Union – Canada, Mexico, the United States and the Caribbean – celebrates the victory of French Imperial Mexico that led to a lasting international coalition. Even the United States, its dreams of Manifest Destiny long forgotten, now celebrates Le Cinq Mai as the event that put the Americas on the path to multi-

thoughtpiece

E L E V I “V Q N I C ” !

MAI national unity, trading now in euros bearing the faces of Maximilian, Napoleon III and Charles de Gaulle.

Across the Parisian-style boulevards of the capital city, the French tricolor flag comes up for one day, as The Marseillaise rings out of every window and drunken murmurs of “TODOS SOMOS FRANCESES” (We are all French) echo well past midnight........

What if the French had won at Puebla on May 5, 1862? What if they had succeeded in creating a French client state for longer than a few years in Mexico? What if they had stayed and effectively challenged the expansion of the United States?

And what would have happened to Cinco de Mayo celebrations, both in Mexico and north of the border? Would the popular and historically incorrect celebration of Mexican military prowess now get toasted with fine wine?

A PROUD SYMBOL

According to the media, popular lore and academic opinion, Cinco de Mayo is bigger in some Chicago suburbs than most of Mexico.

Even local grocery stores have been marketing it since the 1980s. It’s a big, mainstream event brought to you by every tortilla chip and cerveza company you can name – driven largely by the influx of Mexican immigrants to the United States.

Of course, Mexico remembers it too, as it became a symbol of the defeat of the well-armed foreign colonizer with only a handful of Zapotec Indians and mestizos.

“The triumph was used to galvanize Mexican national identity at a time when the nation was fractured and divided regionally and ideologically,” says Dina Berger, assistant

The French Influence In the book “Food Culture in Mexico” (Greenwood Press, 2005), authors Janet Long-Solis and Luis Alberto Vargas suggest that French cuisine showed up on Mexican tables in the 18th century: “… the habits of the aristocracy in New Spain took on a French veneer, and French-style garden parties and picnics became popular.”

Though haute cuisine never really trickled down to the masses, you can stroll the Paseo de La Reforma in Mexico City, or walk through the National Palace of Fine Arts and along the Alameda, and you’re taking in the splendor of Maximilian’s imperial Mexico. Dina Berger, assistant professor of history at Loyola University Chicago, says Max modeled the Paseo after the ChampsÉlysées.

“By the time of the Porfiriato [the 35-year regime of President Porfirio Diaz],” Berger says, “French cuisine, fashion and architecture were aplenty in the capital.” Diaz’s modernist vision drove the construction of a Parisian capital city and the proliferation of French affectations.

Paul Edison, chairman of the University of Texas-El Paso history department, argues that the French influence was deep and lasting: “The sustained presence of French officers, engineers, doctors and administrators [during the Intervention] had a profound impact on the practice of science, higher education and government in Mexico. For example, French and Mexican doctors together founded Mexico’s National Academy of Medicine in 1864.”

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“Mexico provided an opportunity for Napoleon III to extend his vision for maintaining peace beyond Europe, to embrace the world.” professor of modern Latin American history at Loyola University Chicago. “In the United States, however, you could poll those enjoying Corona specials on Cinco de Mayo, and most would claim the holiday stood for Mexican independence.”

Mexico gained independence from Spain by 1821, but endemic political and economic instability had it in perpetual chaos. In order to recover, the republican government of Benito Juárez suspended payments to foreign debtors, and so in October 1862, France, Spain and England agreed to compel Mexico by military force to repay debts.

The subsequent Battle of Puebla that year was a rare Mexican victory. The French proceeded to expel Juárez from the capital and secure almost a third of Mexico under a Second Empire, with the archduke of Austria, Ferdinand Maximilian, installed as emperor with his wife, Carlota of Belgium.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica notes that Max faced the same central challenge that every previous government had: how to forge political and cultural hegemony in Mexico? Spain and England withdrew from Mexico almost immediately, and Max 66 Café MAY | JUNE2009

ended up alienating both conservative and republican factions. Napoleon III eventually withdrew costly French troops as the United States came out of its Civil War and started to pressure France to withdraw completely.

Max had a last stand against Juárez with his remaining Austrian hussars and untrained Mexican conscripts, but he was defeated and later executed by firing squad on June 19, 1867.

A REVISIONIST VIEW

In her book “Mexico and the Foreign Policy of Napoleon III” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2001), Michele Cunningham, visiting research fellow at the University of Adelaide, Australia, argues for a revisionist view of Napoleon III’s interests in Mexico.

Typical interpretations suggest that Napoleon III was really interested in Mexican silver, cotton and other markets, and in establishing a Latin bloc of Catholic nations to check the United States.

Cunningham argues in her book that Napoleon had “a broader vision” than just grabbing more power for France: “Mexico provided an opportunity for Napoleon III to

THOUGHTPIECE

Take Quote Do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

America Leyva,

25, Back of the Yards

“I work at a Catholic school that’s [composed] mostly of Mexican-American families and it’s very important to show our kids the traditions of Cinco de Mayo. Kids write poetry about Cinco de Mayo and research what it is and make drawings with their interpretation. They’re fully immersed in both cultures.”

Luis Nieto,

53, West Suburban Chicago

“We’ve never celebrated Cinco de Mayo because it was never a holiday that my parents celebrated. It’s popular in the non-Latino neighborhoods because it’s a great way to merchandise beer and chips.”

Yuri Merlos,

extend his vision for maintaining peace beyond Europe, to embrace the world.”

In this account, he wanted to secure free trade as the basis for global prosperity. Cunningham argues that “this would have resulted in a European code and court of appeals, uniform coins, weights and measures, and eventually national interests would have given way to European interests.”

Cunningham confirms these ideas in an e-mail interview. “Maximilian was meant to develop his own army and eventually reduce reliance on France, but he proved to be totally inept …

Whether or not a good monarchy would have brought stability to Mexico is one of the great imponderables,” she says.

“Certainly, Maximilian’s execution and the new republican government didn’t bring political stability, and even today the country still has massive problems. One thing that is certain is that the United States would not countenance a monarchy in the Americas.”

What if Napoleon’s intentions had been realized and Max had succeeded in consolidating the factions in Mexico, creating his own army and eventually bringing a Pax Maximiliano to the country?

“Had [Napoleon’s] contemporaries been less conservative and shared his vision,” Cunningham argues, “it is possible that some of the problems in international relations arising in the 20th century might have been avoided.”

In reality, says Paul Edison, history department chairman at the University of Texas-El Paso, “[The intervention] galvanized Mexican nationalism and made it easier for Mexico to overcome longstanding internal political divisions.”

And of course, in the United States, the real significance of Cinco de Mayo is that it has helped spread a sense of North American Mexicanidad, from Chicano Movement protests to proimmigrant rallies.

40, Pilsen

“Pretty much at the festivals at [Plaza] Garibaldi [in Little Village] because that’s the only area right now that’s having any kind of celebration for Cinco de Mayo. I celebrate it because it’s something based on our roots. So if I can appreciate it and celebrate it, then our kids will do the same.”

Silvia Revelo Castro,

36, Sleepy Hollow

“I do not celebrate Cinco de Mayo. I think it’s a newer traditional thing. I know it’s the Batalla de Puebla with the French, but that’s as much as we know and we really don’t celebrate it… but I’ll have a margarita.”

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caféBLEND

MUSTGO

Art takes

flight Monarch butterflies take Hector Duarte’s new mural on immigration to new heights

Monarch butterflies make their way to and from Mexico each year. They travel thousands of miles to the mountains of central Mexico in the fall and return to these latitudes in the spring. Full of obstacles and threats, their epic migration is nothing short of an awe-inspiring ordeal. words

Christina E. Rodrîguez photos Jillian Sipkins

70 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Aware of the symbolism behind their annual journey, Chicago muralist Hector Duarte has been using them in his artwork as metaphors of the immigrants’ voyage to the United States and sometimes back to their country of origin.

Butterflies have made their way into Duarte’s work both in his native Mexico and in his adopted city of Chicago, like the mural on the CTA Pink Line station at Western Avenue and 21st Street. And they have made their way into his newest project: Destejiendo Fronteras (Unweaving Walls), a mural to be displayed in the Rubín & Paula Torres Gallery of the National Museum of Mexican Art. Duarte first came to the United States in 1978 and noticed the murals that artists were painting in the streets of Chicago. In 1985 he returned to settle in the city, where he has participated in more than 40 murals from Highland Park to Oak Park, from Chicago to Naperville.

“He’s an important part of our art history [and] culture,” says Cesareo Moreno, visual arts director and curator of the National Museum of Mexican Art. “He’s someone who has paid his dues. He’s earned a solo show here, without a doubt.”

Duarte was asked to paint something for the gallery and considered different options, eventually settling on a mural within the gallery confines. The beginnings of the mural were painted on 150 feet of running canvas stapled to the walls. “It’s a contra-

diction that this [piece] is in a gallery,” says Duarte, “but I’m painting within the dimensions of the walls. Now looking at it, this can keep going.”

The work starts on the right side of the room; a physical barbed wire borders the canvas on top overhanging a painted fence that represents the U.S.-Mexico border.

Butterflies emerge from the diamond shapes on the fence. As the painting flows, the barbed wire, along with the butterflies, is followed throughout the whole piece. The wire shapes two enormous hands and a heart, and then flows into strands of DNA, developing into a self-portrait of a human head with a thumbprint for a face.

“That’s my thumbprint,” Duarte tells two young women in the gallery. “Now you can trace me anywhere.”

In the last section of the mural, the DNA flows to create a rebozo (a traditional Mexican shawl) that carries a young woman who is unraveling it, which leads back around into the dark of night. The technique Duarte uses in his murals is called polyangularism, where the final product has a three-dimensional effect. He likes to play with optical illusions to bring the viewer into the painting.

“My intention is to paint for the people, so they can understand the art because we don’t have that closeness to art in our countries,” says Duarte. “Murals belong to all people. I do my work with that fountain of information from the people so that it’s a part of their life.”

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

ABOVE: Hector Duarte stands in front of a self-portrait of a human head with his thumbprint for a face.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Duarte at work on the mural that uses the monarch butterflies as a symbol for the immigrants’ journey.

Duarte’s commitment to the communal aspect of the mural tradition is evident in his hometown of Caurio de Guadalupe, Michoacán, where he decided to paint a mural in the main plaza, although residents didn’t understand why he would paint in such a small, unimportant town.

“People were questioning his idea to put a mural in the plaza,” says Moreno. “But he wanted to tell them that they were deserving of the mural because they are important.”

Duarte painted a mural of butterflies emerging from a field of wildflowers. He then invited artists from all over North America to paint butterflies to be sent to Mexico.

Once he got them, he visited homes in the town and asked families to pick which butterfly they wanted to paste on their wall, indoors or outdoors.

“This shows how the idea of migration has affected the community, whether they crossed the border or stayed behind [in Mexico],” says Moreno.

“People in the town want the butterflies,” Duarte says in Spanish. “They call out to me and say, ‘Hey, put a butterfly in my house!’ I’ll ask them where they live and sometimes I find that their walls can’t hold the paste

If you go What: Muralla sobre lienzo, a mural work in progress by Hector Duarte Where: National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., Chicago When: Through June 28 Info: www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org

[used to adhere] the butterfly and they tell me they’ll fix it, just for the butterfly.”

“When you’re a muralist,” says Moreno, “you say, ‘I work for this community.’ A muralist has to listen and paint what the community says.”

Muralists don’t make money off their work like other artists do. For example, an artist can sell a piece to a collector for thousands of dollars, whereas Duarte works with schools and agencies for little money and sometimes for free. But Duarte doesn’t create art for the money.

“This man is a muralist, and he’s proud to be a muralist,” says Moreno. “He’s so proud to represent the community.”

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ToDOTOSÍ

Harry Potter: The Exhibition When: Ends Sept. 27 What: Are you a Gryffindor or a Slytherin? A Ravenclaw or a Hufflepuff? Are you an expert at Quidditch or would you much rather spend your time studying potions and spells? Regardless of your allegiances or preferences, this exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry will curb that hunger for all things Harry Potterish. The exhibit will give you an up-close and personal look at the artistry and craftsmanship behind all six Harry Potter films.

Where: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago Admission: Combination tickets (good for general museum admission and “Harry Potter: The Exhibition”) are $26 for adults, $25 for seniors and $19 for children ages 3-11.

Hours: Monday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Info: (773) 684-1414, www.msichicago.org Look at me: Photographs from Mexico City by Jed Fielding When: Ends July 5 What: Exhibit of Jed Fielding’s stark and powerful portraits of blind children in Mexico City. A Chicago-based photographer, Fielding developed a close and intimate collaboration with children at schools for the blind in that city.

Where: Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago

72 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Admission: Free Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Info: (312) 744-6630, www.chicagoculturalcenter.org Panteón Rococó When: May 10, 7:30 p.m.

What: Want to avoid the usual parades and open air fests typical of the Cinco de Mayo celebrations? Do you want to, in fact, cry out against the vulgar commercialization of this historical event? Then join the kings of Mexican ska in a song of protest and mosh pit the night away.

Where: House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., Chicago Admission: $32.50 Info: (312) 923-2000, www.ticketmaster.com Marimba Nacional de Concierto When: May 13, 8:30 p.m.

What: Recognized as the best marimba ensemble from Guatemala, the group founded

by Lester Homero Godinez Orantes in 1975 will perform indigenous, popular and contemporary music in this special concert.

Where: Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago Admission: General, $20; Old Town School Members, $18; seniors and children, $16 Info: (773) 728-6000, www.oldtownschool.org

Mi Familia, My Dance When: May 14 and 16 What: Luna Negra Dance Theater presents their most popular work in a program designed for the whole family. Kids and adults alike will learn about the process of creation in a fun and engaging way.

Where: Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St., Chicago Admission: $20; $15 for students and seniors (May 14); $10 (May 16) Hours: May 14, 6:30 p.m.; May 16, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Info: For tickets, call (312) 742-TIXS (8497) Telescopes: Through the Looking Glass When: May 22 to Dec. 31 What: From the earliest looking glasses used by Galileo 400 years ago, to the Hubble Space Telescope, this exhibition takes a look at how telescopes have changed our concept of the Universe and our place in it.

Where: Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago Hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Info: (312) 922-7827

toDOtoSí < Water When: June 17 to Sept. 20 What: This 7,500-square-foot exhibition explores how humanity uses this valuable resource and how it shapes our lives. The Chicago presentation of this touring exhibit will feature unique elements focusing on the many uses we give to our area’s largest source of fresh water: Lake Michigan. The exhibit includes several

Chicago Blues Festival When: June 12-14 What: The largest free blues festival in the world is back. Bring your picnic basket and kick back to the best by local and international blues musicians. These year’s headliners include: Bettye LaVette, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and Shirley Johnson.

Where: Grant Park, Columbus Drive and Jackson Blvd., Chicago Admission: Free Info: (312) 744-3315, www.chicagobluesfestival.us

Divinas When: June 4, 7 p.m.

What: Two great voices, one free concert presented by The National Museum of Mexican Art: Tania Libertad (above) and Eugenia León. Born in Perú and a resident of Mexico, Tania’s repertoire includes boleros, Afro-Peruvian songs and contemporary music. Eugenia León, one of Mexico’s greatest singers, feels equally at home performing Latin American protest songs, tangos and traditional Mexican music.

Where: Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, 222 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago Admission: Free Info: (312) 742-1168

The Puerto Rican Day Parade When: June 20, noon What: Time to unfurl la Monoestrellada.

Thousands of colorful Puerto Rican flags and hundreds of floats will take over one of downtown’s main arteries in this annual celebration of Puerto Rican culture and pride. The celebrations continue in the Puerto Rican enclave of Humboldt Park right after the parade.

Where: Columbus Drive and Balbo Drive, Chicago Admission: Free Info: www.cityofchicago.org/specialevents Chicago Pride Fest and Parade When: June 26-28 What: Chicago’s LGBT community celebrates their accomplishments with a 2-day festival hosted by and benefiting the Northal-

hands-on interactive experiences like a 3-D theater and immersive dioramas.

Where: Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago Admission (including basic): Adults, $23; seniors and students with ID, $20; children 3-11, $13 Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Info: (312) 922-9410; www.fieldmuseum.org

sted Area Merchants Association that culminates with their annual parade June 28th. The parade will take place from Halsted and Belmont to Broadway and then South to Diversey.

Where: Halsted St. and Addison St., Chicago Admission: Free Info: (773) 868-3010 29th Annual Taste of Chicago When: June 26-July 5, 2009 What: Bring your appetite to what has become one of the highlights of the city’s summer season. Close to 70 restaurants will participate in this gastronomic tour de force.

There will be music, recreational activities, amusement rides and cooking demonstrations for the whole family. Buddy Guy, Counting Crows and the Wallflowers are among this year’s headliners at the Petrillo Bandshell.

Where: Grant Park, Jackson Blvd. and Columbus Drive, Chicago Admission: Free for the music events. Food and beverages are sold by tickets only. Tickets are sold in strips of 12 for $8 at the festival, which includes a $2 surcharge that contributes to event amenities including clean up, security and recycling.

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m., June 26 to July 2; 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., July 3-4; 11 a.m.-6 p.m., July 5 Info: (312) 744-3315, www.tasteofchicago.us

cafemagazine.com 73

caféBLEND

Humboldt Park

Nouveau-Rican Coco celebrates five years of offering gourmet Boricua dishes flavored with Bacardi and bochinche words photos

Benjamin Ortiz Mauricio Rubio

ABOVE: Besides great food, Coco serves up great spirits and good times.

74 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Step into Coco Modern Puerto Rican Restaurant and Lounge, and “Los Mejores del Mundo” greet you at the door. It’s a panorama of Caribbean greats, from Tito Puente to Felix “Tito” Trinidad to Celia Cruz and Don Pedro Albizu Campos, captured across paintings by artist Adalberto “Cuco” Rivera.

Festive photos, sketches of bomba y plena sessions with plantation panache and a 25-footlong sculpture-mural titled “La Boricua” enhance the rich, exposed brick and dark-wood interiors that compose a long room with private vantage points rounded by gauze-thin earth-tone

curtains. Against the back wall, a faux-balcón opens the kitchen to a full view, while toasting Old San Juan’s snaking streets and vistas.

The art works and dining display celebrate the diversity of talents from La Isla del Encanto, and it feels like they’re all here to join you for dinner, drinks and maybe some salsa, if you meet the right dance partner.

You head for your table, past the middle-aged white couple that will stay on the dance floor all night, from happy hour till the band warms up for a medley of merengue, bachata, boleros – whatever the crowd feels. But before all that gets started,

DINING

TOP: El Rico, pork chop stuffed with sweet plantains and raisins.

RIGHT: Filet Dorado, mahi mahi with lobster bisque sauce and a side of mofongo de yuca.

how about a drink first? Try the Bochinche Martini, described by the menu as “The gossip drink…Sure to make you talk.” Lime juice, coconut, fresh mint and vodka give it that urban-lounge savor, but with a tropical twist.

Dark and curly-coiffed ladies at a table across the way lift their oblong martini glasses with long, sparkly, neon-blue fingernails contrasting mango and coconut-colored highlights. As the place gets moving with people packing the 65-capacity dining area and cozying up at the bar, you’re distracted by the tables filling with a variety of cultures, styles and versions of Spanish.

For starters, try some plantain tostones stuffed with crab, a mini-jibarito sandwich and bolitas de yautia, breaded and mashed root vegetables with a side of sofrito-tinged sauce. In one Bandeja de Coco appetizer tray, your palate enjoys the collision of indigenous Taino, Spanish and African foodstuffs, reinterpreted a la Nuevo Latino cuisine straight from the heart of Humboldt Park.

But before you can think about the main course, the Bochinche Martini starts working its magic, loosens the lips and gets you talking. At the next table, two younger, mixed-race couples are double dating, so you ask why they chose Coco for the night. “It’s Chicago,” says Christine, a 20-something Latina.

“It’s so diverse, and you gotta try everything.”

This is the kind of place where you can easily meet new friends and end up closing the joint down when food service yields to live music – samba on Thursdays, DJs on Fridays and a full salsa combo on Saturdays, all going from 10 p.m. till closing.

Like his clientele, owner José Allende fills the room with warmth and spirit, one minute welcoming you at the door, the next suggesting an entrée and then tweaking the house speakers for just the right atmosphere and balance of lively dining. He joins you for a bit and talks about the inspiration to open this place – basically, to offer Chicago’s first upscale Puerto Rican dining experience.

From the art collection to the music to the traditional eats jazzed up with five-star estilo, Allende

Coco 2723 W. Division St. (773) 384-4811 www.cocochicago.com Wheelchair accessible, all major credit cards accepted, live music

intends Coco to be the spot where you want to take mom on Mother’s Day, a place where you can also learn and be proud of the Puerto Rican culture. “I think the bottom line is that people never viewed Puerto Rican food like this,” he says, referring also to the odyssey of research, travel and hard work that has kept the place open for more than five years now.

“A lot of people still don’t know about Puerto Rican food – they come in sometimes and say, ‘Where’s the chips?’ No, really!” He cuts loose with a typically full, gusty laugh that hits high notes with joy, coming back down to a serious but lighthearted tone. “I have to admit, I was told when we first opened that it was not gonna work.” Allende remains the sole owner, head chef and host extraordinaire.

But back to dinner, right? Allende recommends the mahi mahi with lobster bisque sauce and mofongo de yuca. Or the pork chop stuffed with plátano maduro and raisins. Maybe with an after-dinner rum and flan.

The tables nearby are getting really flirty, and lights are dimming for the band, so eat up and get ready to move. ¡A gozar!

cafemagazine.com 75

caféBLEND

Maya Del Sol 144 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park. (708) 358-9800, www.mayadelsol.com Serves a wide variety of dishes from all Latin America. The flavorful Cochinita Pibil (marinated pork) is a favorite.

Dig in!

In this issue we highlight Café Ibérico’s new sibling, tip our hat to a popular Colombian restaurant in Andersonville and tell you where in the suburbs you can enjoy some seafood Mexican-style. Also, unique takes on some Latin American standards. Como siempre, ¡buen provecho!

Note: This section does not include every Latin American or Spanish restaurant in Chicago or the suburbs. We invite you to submit your favorites to readers@cafemagazine.com.

BYOB

ATM

Cash only

CUBAN Cafecito 26 E. Congress Pkwy., Chicago (312) 922-2233 A restaurant for people who work downtown or are visiting one of its many museums and attractions and suddenly develop an urgent craving for a sándwich cubano. Try the sándwich de palomilla, the choripán (Spanish chorizo with grilled onions and chimichurri) and some rather interesting hybrids of Cuban, Italian and even Middle Eastern sandwiches.

Con Sabor Cubano 2739 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago (773) 728-2226 www.consaborcubano.com Tasty ropa vieja (shredded beef in tomato sauce), arroz con pollo served with fried plaintains and the traditional Cuban sandwich are part of the fare in this cozy restaurant.

76 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Credit cards accepted

Habana Libre 1440 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago (312) 243-3303 A popular choice is the combination appetizer, which includes croquetas (ham and cheese fried dumplings), yucca, tostones (twice-fried smashed green plantains), empanadas (meat-filled pastry) and papa rellena (potato filled with ground beef). For dessert, check out the flan de coco.

MEXICAN Bien Trucha 410 W. State St., Geneva (630) 232-2665 This tiny Mexican restaurant offers such delights as the portobello mushroom cazuelitas (fresh melted Chihuahua cheese, chopped portobellos and garlic) and a wide variety of tacos: al pastor, tilapia, chicken, etc.

Cemitas Puebla 3619 W. North Ave., Chicago (773) 772-8435 www.cemitaspuebla.com

Accessible

Music

The cuisine of Puebla, Mexico, is this family-owned restaurant’s specialty, especially the cemitas, a sandwich that consists of sesame seed bread layered with avocado, your choice of meat, adobo chipotle peppers, fresh Oaxacan cheese and papalo. The menu also includes a variety of mole dishes.

Flamingo’s Seafood 1590 S. Busse Road, Mount Prospect (847) 364-9988 www.flamingosseafood.com From shrimp to octopus, from red snappers to white bass, this restaurant leaves no waters unchartered when it comes to its seafood offerings. Among its specialties: Ostiones Flamingo’s especiales gratinados (half shell oysters au gratin with shrimp pico de gallo, lobster, baked with Chihuahua cheese) and Langosta llena estilo Flamingo’s (2lb Maine Lobster stuffed with scallops, shrimp and crab meat in chipotle lobster sauce).

Xni-Pec 5135 W. 25th St., Cicero (708) 652-8680 www.xnipec.us Enjoy the flavors of the Yucatán peninsula in this restaurant.

Besides the traditional cochinita pibil, Xni-Pec’s menu also includes the poc shuc (sliced pork marinated in sour orange juice) and huevos motuleños.

NUEVO LATINO/ LATIN FUSION Gaudí Coffee & Grill 624 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago (312) 733-9528 Try a little bit of Mexico and a little bit of Barcelona in this West Town café that offers light breakfast, as well as salads, soups, empanadas and tapas. +corkage fee Julio’s Cocina Latina 99 S. Rand Rd., Lake Zurich (847) 438-3484 www.julioslatincafe.com Formerly known as Julio’s Latin Café, this restaurant has been offering a wide variety of Latin American dishes to Lake County residents since 1991. Among its highlights: Pollo Caribe (sautéed breast of chicken with creamy mango sauce, shrimp garnish, julienne vegetables and Spanish rice) and the Guacho Verde (grilled strip steak topped with chimichurri butter and served with steamed broccoli and garlic mashed potatoes).

PUERTO RICAN La Bomba Restaurant 3221 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago (773) 394-0106 Crispy jibarito sandwiches and tasty mofongo (mashed green plantains with garlic and pork rinds). Weekend specials include verduras con bacalao (assorted root vegetables with cod fish) and soups.

RESTAURANTGUIDE La Bruquena 2726 W. Division St., Chicago (773) 276-2915 Try the popular mofongo con carne frita (mashed green plantain with fried pork) as well as other Puerto Rican specialties.

Delicia Tropical Cafe 780 Villa St., Elgin (847) 695 6207 Savory arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), steak with sautéed onions and beef stew.

SOUTH AMERICAN Gloria’s Cafe 3300 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago (773) 342-1050 Small, cozy Colombian cafe near Logan Square. The menu includes pastries and baked goods for breakfast; sandwiches (including a chicken jibarito) and salads for lunch; and rotisserie chickens, the bandeja paisa and a NY strip steak with chimichurri

sauce for dinner.

El Ñandú 2731 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago (773) 278-0900 The place to go for a delicious variety of Argentinean empanadas: traditional (ground beef with raisins and egg), shrimp and spinach. The chimichurri is great on anything they serve.

La Fonda Latino Grille 5350 N. Broadway Ave., Chicago (773) 271-3935 Colombia rules in this Andersonville restaurant, although there are some significant nods to Argentinean and Mexican cuisine. Start your dinner with a traditional Colombian empanada (made with corn) or an Argentinean one. Then follow it with either the churrasco, the milanesa de cerdo or the carne asada.

The arroz con pollo is also highly recommended.

SPANISH Arco de Cuchilleros 3445 N. Halsted St., Chicago (773) 296-6046 Great tapas that arrive at your table with perfect timing.

Favorites include bacon-wrapped dates, smoked salmon with capers, fried eggplant with Spanish sausage, and mejillones en salsa verde (mussels in a white wine and cream sauce).

Mercat a la Planxa 638 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago (312) 765-0524 www.mercatchicago.com Enjoy Spanish tapas Barcelonastyle in this restaurant located within the Loop’s Blackstone Hotel. Try the more traditional fare like gambas al ajillo or a la planxa (items grilled to order) such as the meats.

Pintxos 737 N. LaSalle St., Chicago (312) 664-4800 www.pintxosbar.com Can’t find a table at Café Ibérico on the weekends? Then why not try their new upstairs restaurant where you will enjoy some of their more traditional fare like the tortilla española or the Basque-style tapas that give the restaurant its name.

Tapas Valencia 1530 S. State St., Chicago (312) 842-4444 www.tapasvalencia.com If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it is: originally based in Bloomingdale, Tapas Valencia now moves to the South Loop to join that zone’s expanding restaurant scene. A sibling to Naperville’s Meson Sabika, Tapas Valencia will share its menu and executive chef.

cafemagazine.com 77

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Ashleigh Gingras, Michelle Gil, Maizenka Szczepanski, Krissy Koscielniak and Tracy Strand

Mirella Campos, Marco Ulloa, Ruth Gorosbe and Lupe Madrid

Red hot Red Cross photos

Justine Vlietstra, Kim Benz, Aaron Sims, Kathryn Garrison and Becca Soske

Mari Cruz Spell, Esmeralda Mora and Jessica Flores

Café Media was the proud sponsor of the “Third Annual Coqueteo con Propósito” party organized by Flirting for Disaster, the social mixer series hosted by the Auxiliary Board of the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago. The event was held March 19 at Lalo’s, 1960 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago, and it featured dance tunes by DJ Eclipse, free massages by Body Balance Therapy, demonstrations of “The Perfect José Cuervo Margarita” and art and jewelry displays.

Noel Corral, Tiffany Sanders and Michael Fineman

Fernando Mondragon, Ricardo Hernandez, Roberto Lopez, Sebastian Hernandez and Eddie Moreno

78 Café MAY | JUNE2009

Jillian Sipkins

Elizabeth Monkus and Jessica Wheeler

sociales

student Art photos

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Over 200 students from the United Neighborhood Organization’s (UNO) nine campuses and high school showcased their art April 2 at the Aldo Castillo Gallery, 675 N. Franklin St., Chicago.

Arabel Alva-Rosales and UNO High School Students

| photos Danny Rico |

Rodrigo Esponda Francisco Ocon and and Michael Kutza Karina Ayala-Bermejo Ricardo López

Andrea Corral and Julia Rendón

language party photos

Wendy Melgar

St. Procopius, a dual language Catholic school in the Pilsen neighborhood, held its annual Adelante! fundraising event on March 12 at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., in Chicago. With an attendance of more than 150 people, St. Procopius was able to raise more than $40,000 for the Family Scholarship Fund which provides financial aid to 95% of their families.

Cardace Mueller, Dario Medina, and Sarah Camarata

Christian Giannotti Model wearing designer James de and Romelia Colón’s dress Mercado tribute to Rita Moreno

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Loftus

Trinity Matillo

cafemagazine.com 79

caféBLEND | a mí Me enseñaron

maketime

P

api taught me that life is short. So, what better way to spend it than by hosting parties for family and friends. He would ask mami to make calderos filled to the brim with arroz con gandules. Another pot would contain carne mechada stuffed with olives and ham. Her famous potato salad would round up the feast. No meal was complete without Café Bustelo. The smells of the delectable food wafted throughout the house for hours, and our home would be filled with music and laughter. I miss those days. Now I attempt to recreate those parties by having two to four guests at a time. I don’t know how they did it. There were at least 20 to 30 people or more at a time in our home. Connections are made through social gatherings; good food doesn’t hurt either! Papi taught me to make and keep the connection.

—Diana Cruz, Chicago

Log on to www.cafemagazine.com to submit your “A mí me enseñaron” stories. The best story submitted and published between July and December will win two roundtrip Southwest Airlines tickets.

80 Café MAY | JUNE2009

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