Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Latino
Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts 2025 Annual Banquet
Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Foto del Mes /Photo of the Month
Remembering our July 2015 Edition
Un podcast sobre la historia del archipiélago de Puerto Rico y el Caribe
Conversaciones con expertos sobre el tema y personalidades de interés. Con el historiador público Ramón A. González-Arango López.
¡Nuevo episodio todos los jueves! ¡Comparte y disfrútalo!
contents
2 Foto del Mes /Photo of the Month Remembering our July 2015 Edition
3 Portada / Front Page 2025 Latino Scholarship Fund Awards Ceremony
4 The Care Center Celebrates the Launch of the 23rd Edition of Nautilus II
5 Intiya Ambrogi-Isaza, Among Metro Housing|Boston Honorees 2025
6 Over 72,000 Working Families with Children in Puerto Rico Live in Poverty
7 Opinión / Opinion
Food stamps are an economic engine that boosts growth
9 Literatura / Literature Notas al calce
10 Libros / Books I Am Boricua
Deuda Natal
11 Educación / Education
Holyoke Public Schools Retomará el Control Local de sus Escuelas el 1 de julio
12 Registration open for Holyoke Community College Summer Youth Programs
13 Salud / Health
Darwin J. Cruz, Educador en Salud Comunitaria en la Prevención de la Diabetes en Holyoke
14 Kick-Off Event for the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade 2025
Editor Manuel Frau Ramos manuelfrau@gmail.com 413-320-3826
Assistant Editor Ingrid Estrany-Frau Art Director Tennessee Media Design
Business Address El Sol Latino P.O Box 572 Amherst, MA 01004-0572
Editorial Policy
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El Sol Latino is published monthly by Coquí Media Group. El Sol Latino es publicado mensualmente por Coquí Media Group, P.O Box 572, Amherst, MA 01004-0572.
2025 Latino Scholarship Fund Awards Ceremony
The Latino Scholarship Fund (LSF) of Western Massachusetts held its Annual Banquet - Latinidad in Bloom - at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on June 13, 2025. The event recognized and celebrated the accomplishments of outstanding community leaders while also honoring this year’s scholarship recipients.
The event began with opening remarks by Derek Estrella, President of LSF, followed by community recognitions and scholar acknowledgements. The keynote address was given by Joshua García, Mayor of Holyoke. Poet and Holyoke Community College (HCC) student Mishie Serrano, founder of In-Between Poetry, read some of her works.
Since its inception in the early 1990s, the locally based Latino Scholarship Fund, Inc., has awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to hundreds of Latinx students from high schools in the Pioneer Valley.
The Carlos Vega Community Champion Award was presented to Orlando Isaza. The winner of the Antonia Pantoja Award was Naiomi Robles. This year’s Angel Nieto Scholarship Fund winner was Jaden López.
The Carlos Vega Community Champion Award recognizes a local individual or educational program that has had a profoundly positive impact on the Latino community in the region. Carlos Vega’s family immigrated to Holyoke from Ecuador when he was 5 years old. Throughout his life, Carlos worked tirelessly to benefit the disenfranchised people of Holyoke. The focus of his community organizing spanned a range of issues, including housing rights, cultural celebrations, education, and economic development. Carlos served as Executive Director of Nueva Esperanza, a Holyoke-based community development organization he helped found.
Orlando Isaza is a respected educator and community advocate who has spent his life empowering Latino youth and immigrant families. Orlando works tirelessly to advance social justice. He is a bridgebuilder who nurtures cultural pride and community initiatives. Orlando is known for his leadership and his community pride. “In the spirit of Carlos Vega, Orlando leads with corazón, compromiso, and an unwavering belief in the power of community”.
The Antonia Pantoja Award for Distinguished Achievement is given to someone who has achieved high academic success through research, education, art, policy, and publication. Dr. Antonia Pantoja, born in Puerto Rico, was an educator, social worker, feminist, and a leader in the civil rights movement. She created the National Puerto Rican Forum to promote the economic self-sufficiency of Latinos, and ASPIRA, an organization that promotes educational success, cultural awareness, and leadership development among Puerto Rican youth and other Latinos. Pantoja helped create Boricua
by MANUEL FRAU RAMOS
College, an institution of post-secondary studies in New York City, and a research program known as the Puerto Rican Research and Resource Center. In 1996, Pantoja received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Naiomi Robles is a Holyoke native with a deep commitment to her community. She has been a community organizer in Holyoke since she was fifteen. Naiomi collaborates with the Holyoke Public Schools Ethnic Studies program. Her work focuses on topics such as dismantling ableism in schools and addressing race and equity within school systems. She currently serves as the Coordinator of Holyoke Bound for the Five College Consortium and has cofacilitated Holyoke’s 2020 Black Lives Matter march.
Naiomi is a proud alumna of Holyoke Public Schools and Holyoke Community College. She attends Mount Holyoke College, where she concentrates on Critical Race Theory and Political Economy and has a minor in Latinx Studies.
The Angel Nieto Scholarship is awarded annually to individuals who have a compelling story of determination and strength in overcoming adversity, as well as aspirational goals for their future and that of their community. Angel was one of the founders of the LSF over 30 years ago.
Angel Nieto was born in Cuenca, Spain. At the end of the seventies, Angel became a bilingual teacher in the Holyoke Public Schools, first at Holyoke High School and later at Peck Middle School and the Holyoke Middle School for the Arts. He also made his mark as a parent organizer and fierce advocate for his students and their families. In 2019, he received the Antonia Pantoja Distinguished Achievement Award from the Latino Scholarship Fund.
Jayden López, born and raised in Holyoke, is a stand-up comedian, producer, actor, writer, and director with a passion for comedy and storytelling. During his high school years, he was the vice president of Holyoke High’s Theater Company. He worked with the Holyokebased community organization Enlace de Familias. Recently, Jayden premiered “Stand Up to Climate Change,” a hybrid tech and stand-up show founded by Inside the Greenhouse at the University of Colorado Boulder.
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Orlando Isaza and Derek Estrella
Naiomi Robles
Dr. Sonia Nieto, Jayden López and Derek Estrella
The Care Center Celebrates the Launch of the 23rd Edition of Nautilus II por MANUEL FRAU-RAMOS
On June 18th, the Care Center in Holyoke released its 2025 edition of Nautilus II. Students, staff, and guests gathered at Odyssey Bookshop in South Hatley to celebrate the publication of the 23rd volume of its annual publication, Nautilus II: Poetry and Art by Young Mothers Studying at The Care Center
This event was held in the same venue, the iconic bookstore Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, for many years. The launch of this book has become an annual event that attracts several friends of The Care Center to Odyssey Bookshop.
The event began with remarks by Marjory Zaik, Education Director of The Care Center. It was followed by Odyssey owner Joan Grenier, who narrated a short history of the enduring story of the bookshop.
The Care Center poetry teacher, Sara Rauch, introduced the students/authors present, who read their poems. Staff members and students also chose and read poems by students/authors who were not present at the event. At the end of the event, the stude/authors signed copies of the journal for each other and the guests.
2025 Latino Scholarship Fund Awards Ceremony
The recipients of the 2025 Latino Scholarships are:
- Ciara Avianca Norrington - Holyoke Community College - Biology
- Davian Angel Pagán
- Jaden Díaz Díaz - UMass Dartmouth University - Nursing
- Jonathan Jesús Hernández - UMass Amherst - Architecture
- Kathryn Zeta Brunelle - Suffolk University - English Literature and Journalism
- Laiyla Lee Arroyo - American University - Journalism and International Relations
A team of students from The Care Center is selected each year to serve as the editors of the literature and arts publication. In the process, they learn editing, graphic design, public speaking, and leadership skills necessary in the production of Nautilus II
The book, a collection of poems, photos, and art, represents The Care Center’s high standards, mission, and its own students’ perspectives. The team of students is responsible for editing the work, writing supporting materials, and collaborating with local designer Craig Malone to bring this distinctive publication together.
The Student Editorial Board of the class of 2025 consisted of the following: Senior Editors - Aaliyah Carrion and Je’Ny, Editors - Sara Caraballo, Jeyriannette Pantoja, Williams, Patricia Rivera, and Geleydie Santiago.
Craig Malone was in charge of Design and Production. The Staff Editors were Sara Rauch (Managing Editor), Marjory Zaik (Associate Managing Editor), and Léa Donnan (Art Editor). Lizie Rolon designed the Cover Art for the 2025 edition.
The Care Center, established in 1986, has become an important oasis of hope and opportunity for thousands of young people in the region, primarily residents of Holyoke, by creating an environment where success is attainable. It has worked with thousands of teen mothers and their families as the women continue their education and move toward greater self-awareness and economic stability. Each year, more than 100 pregnant and parenting young parents utilize the services of the Care Center, which include academic classes in preparation for the HiSet, college courses, on-site daycare, healthcare, in-house counseling, assistance with transitioning to higher education, and door-to-door transportation.
The Care Center also offers HiSET/GED, a high school equivalency program; the College Support program, which provides a wide range of supports needed to attend and complete college; and Bard Microcollege Holyoke, which offers students a high-quality, liberal arts associate’s degree. The Care Center is home to Bard Microcollege Holyoke, a free, accredited associate’s degree program for Care Center students and other low-income women, the first of its kind in the nation.
For more information about the poetry journal, contact THE CARE CENTER | 247 Cabot Street, Holyoke, MA 01040 | Phone: (413) 5322900 or visit THE ODYSSEY BOOKSHOP: College St., South Hadley, MA 01075 / Phone:(413) 534-7307.
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- Logan Bermúdez-Lizardi - Thomas Aquinas College - Philosophy
- María Milagros Burgos-Bernier - Westfield State University - High School Math Teacher
- Sirriya Fonville
- Sophia F. Estrada - Suffolk University - Media Production and Film
To learn more about the Latino Scholarship Fund of Western Massachusetts, visit the website at www. latinoscholarshipwesternmass.org.
Intiya Ambrogi-Isaza, Among Metro Housing|Boston Honorees 2025
BOSTON, MA | April 29, 2025 - Intiya Ambrogi-Isaza has been selected as one of the Champions of Metro Housing/Greater Boston, prominent advocates for affordable housing development and economic mobility, with one goal – to help all residents of Greater Boston achieve economic security and an improved quality of life. Donations will help Metro Housing|Boston mobilize a wide range of resources to provide innovative and personalized services that lead families and individuals to housing stability.
Ambrogi-Isaza, one of the three Rising Star Awardees, currently serves as the Vice President of Real Estate at Madison Park Development Corp, leading projects related to urban policy and real estate development that address the housing affordability crisis in Boston and across the country. In addition to her work at Madison Park, Ms. Ambrogi-Isaza teaches at Northeastern University: Introduction to Real Estate for Urban Policy Makers, sharing her knowledge and fostering discussions about the intersection of urban policy and real estate development.
Other awardees are:
Housing Champions: Amy Schectman, Saul and Gitta Kurlat, Chief Executive Officer of 2Life Communities. Lowell L. Richards, III Award: Marc Draisen, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Executive Director, Rising Star Award: Ricky Guerra, Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corp., Director of Real Estate Development. And Rising Star Award: Zach Gordon, Cambridge Housing Authority, Senior Program Manager of Policy and Administration
This year’s Champions of Housing event will take place on Thursday, November 13, at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter.
Metro Housing | Boston’s mission is to mobilize a wide range of resources to provide innovative and personalized services that lead families and individuals to housing stability, economic security, and an improved quality of life. Metro Housing|Boston’s personalized services help residents of greater Boston bridge gaps in the homelessness prevention and affordable housing system. Working with individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes, we empower 25,000 households a year to move along the continuum from homelessness to housing stability.
Metro Housing|Boston collaborates effectively with government agencies, nonprofits, and corporations to continually enhance its impact for the benefit of its participants. With over 30 years of experience in piloting and implementing housing programs, Metro Housing|Boston has established itself as an industry-leading expert in navigating the affordable housing field.
They offer broad array of programs and services, combined with our extensive network of property owners and fellow service providers, enables us to address a wide range of housing-related issues, from preventing evictions and homelessness to helping individuals find suitable homes and making rent more affordable.
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Over 72,000 Working Families with Children in Puerto Rico Live in Poverty
by HYDERLIS PÉREZ ORTIZ IDJ, Communications and Development Coordinator
SAN JUAN, PR | June 11, 2025 - Over 72,000 households headed by working parents continue to live in poverty in Puerto Rico, according to the most recent data. This was highlighted by the Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud (IDJ) during Data Week 2025. Despite some progress, this reality persists: the archipelago still faces labor market barriers that prevent many families from achieving economic mobility.
• This same proportion is observed in the indicator of children in lowincome working families.
• Compared to 2013, this latter indicator has increased by six percentage points (from 39% to 45%), reflecting a deterioration in the economic stability of many working families.
• In contrast, the percentage of children with parents without secure employment has decreased from 55% in 2013 to 45% in 2023—a ten percentage point reduction that, while positive, has not been enough to reverse the structural conditions of poverty.
• Fifty-nine percent of households reported that food did not last long enough and there was no money to replenish it.
• Fifty-nine percent of households receiving Nutrition Assistance Program (PAN) have at least one employed person, and their median annual income is $14,202.
In Puerto Rico, the median income for families with children is $26,360—nearly $40,000 less than the median income in New Mexico, the second-lowest ranked jurisdiction in the United States. As a result of this wage disparity, 72,236 families with children (36%) in Puerto Rico live in poverty despite being employed, facing barriers to economic mobility. This reality underscores the urgent need to invest in expanding economic mobility opportunities through access to quality jobs.
Economic disparities become even more evident when examining the situation of single-parent families: according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 73% of children living in female-headed households in Puerto Rico are below the poverty line. In these households, the median annual income is just $14,495, highlighting the deep economic challenges many mothers who are heads of household face on the island.
Vázquez Pérez added, “We can’t keep normalizing the idea that hard work isn’t enough. There’s still time to push for public policies and structural changes that promote economic mobility and support these families. When families are at the center of economic development, we all benefit.”
Key Findings on the Employment Conditions of Families:
• 45% (226,000) of children from 0 to 17 years old live in homes where their parents lack secure employment
• 19% of households below the poverty line do not receive PAN.
The stagnation of these conditions is also reflected in the overall grade of the Child and Youth Well-Being Index, developed by IDJ, which remains at a D, placing the island in 20th position when compared to the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
IDJ recommendations include:
In response to this reality, the Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud (IDJ) developed Nuestra Agenda: A Path Toward Quality Jobs, a document that outlines 16 public policy recommendations aimed at promoting the economic mobility of families with children in Puerto Rico. This agenda presents a strategy structured around four pillars:
• Create quality jobs, particularly in sectors with growth potential.
• Train the workforce through workforce development programs aligned with the needs of the job market.
• Remove barriers to employment, such as limited access to childcare or transportation.
• Ensure that work pays off by strengthening income through supplemental tax credits and adequate wages.
The Instituto del Desarrollo de la Juventud (IDJ) is the only organization in Puerto Rico that is committed to advocating for research and public policy designed to strengthen the financial stability of families with children and youth in Puerto Rico and therefore drastically reduce child poverty on the island.
Food stamps are an economic engine that boosts growth
Across the country, food stamps, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP), has had a healthy impact on individuals, families, communities, and the economy. Recipients become eligible to receive benefits after providing numerous documents including identification for members of the household, e.g., driver’s license, state identification for adults, birthdates, and social security numbers for everyone in the household. Other requirements are proof of income, proof of residency, and proof of payment of property taxes/ insurance. For those individuals over 60 years of age or are disabled, proof of extra insurance payments, medical bills, or medication over $35 a month are also required. Additional requirements are necessary for college students. Despite all the screening for eligibility, there is a persistent myth of extensive fraud or easy access to benefits. While fraud does occur in any large program, it is rare in SNAP, with estimates showing less than 1% of benefits being misused (Congressional Research Services, April 7, 2025). No one is defrauding American taxpayers by illegally obtaining SNAP benefits.
Improved Health Outcomes
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) plays a crucial role in promoting better health among low-income individuals and families. SNAP provides access to nutritious food including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. This access to healthy food helps individuals meet their dietary needs and maintain a balanced diet. The benefits are real. Food stamps help alleviate food insecurity by providing a consistent source of healthy provisions. Moreover, they help reduce emotional stress related to food insecurity. Food stamps contribute to reducing risk of chronic diseases (e.g., obesity, diabetes, and heart disease). Nutritious meals are crucial to a child’s physical and cognitive development.
American Journal of Public Health (December 2019) found that SNAP benefits lifted approximately 4.4 million people out of poverty in 2018; it provided people with the means to purchase nutritious food. In addition, food stamps are positively contributing to the overall economy (CNN, May 23, 2025). Research conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (July 17, 2019) has shown that SNAP benefits are often spent quickly after receipt. This rapid spending not only provides immediate relief for households facing food insecurity but also promptly injects money into the economy. This injection of money is particularly beneficial during economic downturns when consumer spending tends to decrease. In a few words, it stimulates local economies.
The United States Department of Agriculture administers SNAP Food stamps have gigantic economic benefits. They stimulate economic growth and benefit local businesses. Usage of food stamps supports local and regional economies. Food stamps stimulate economic growth by increasing consumer spending, which benefits farmers, food manufactures and grocery stores. According to a study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), each dollar spent on SNAP benefits generates $1.50 to $1.80 in economic activity (Food Research and Action Center, May 2025). This multiplier effect occurs because when individuals receive food stamps, they have more disposable income to spend on other goods and services. An increase in spending boosts demand and leads to job creation and increased revenues for businesses.
MIGUEL L. ARCE and JOSÉ P. ARCE
There are several ways in which food stamps usage contributes to job creation and economic growth. It increases the demand for groceries and food products, and this leads to higher production levels in the agricultural and food industries. The higher production, in turn, creates job opportunities in farming, food processing, packaging and distribution. Participants purchase groceries with SNAP benefits at approximately 248,000 retailers — from superstores to farmers markets — across the country. An added benefit: by increasing low-income households’ purchasing power, they can buy the food they need directly from stores, SNAP integrates economically marginalized households with almost no government administrative overhead resulting from food distribution.
SNAP redemptions are a meaningful share of food purchases in our country. In fiscal year 2019, participants redeemed about $56 billion in SNAP benefits for food purchases, supporting retailers of every size (Center for Policy and Budget Priorities, May 28, 2020). The additional income generated from food stamp usage has a multiplier effect on the economy. As recipients spend their benefits, it stimulates other sectors, including transportation, manufacturing, and services, creating more job opportunities.
SNAP usage actively supports local and regional economies. Food stamps are used in local grocery stores and contribute to the growth and development in the local community. A substantial portion of food stamps’ benefits remain within the community. It creates job opportunities for residents by supporting local businesses, helping to create a vibrant and sustainable local economy.
Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ impacts on SNAP and School Nutrition Programs
A large part of funding for President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda would come from cuts to safety net programs. SNAP helps millions of lower-income Americans buy groceries every month (ABC News, June 5, 2025). SNAP cuts are estimated to be $230 billion over 10 years. The proposed legislation expands work requirements and shifts the cost to states. The proposed legislation limits states’ ability to exempt individuals from SNAP work requirements, reducing the number and type of individuals exempted from the mandate. The bill further constrains future federal administrations’ ability to expand or adjust exemption criteria or benefit levels. The current House package in the “Big Beautiful Bill” would require states to take a greater share of both SNAP benefits and administrative costs beginning in fiscal year 2028. Currently, benefits are fully funded by the federal government with state governments taking on half the administrative cost of the program. This unprecedented shift could prompt state-level changes to eligibility and benefit rules. “Mandating that states pay even a small share of SNAP food benefit costs would hit state budgets hard at a time when many states are facing revenue downturns” (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, March 2025). Because school meals are often tied to SNAP participation, changes to SNAP eligibility and coverage could lead to fewer children qualifying for free or reduced-price lunches at school. The Urban Institute (March 7, 2025) has reported that some eighteen million students nationwide are enrolled in universal free meal programs, such as the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). These schools “could be subject to increased costs that could threaten their access
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Food
to the popular CEP if the proposed changes to SNAP take effect.” Think about how the proposed changes to the Community Eligibility Provision would negatively influence local vendors.
The goal and problem
The goal of SNAP, administered by the United State Department of Agriculture, has, as its primary aim, the development of fueling the economy. Through the development of an “economic engine,” the Department of Agriculture has created and supported a successful mechanism that benefits farmers, food manufactures and grocery stores. USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the Nation’s largest food assistance program. In fiscal year 2018, SNAP served an average 40.3 million people per month and issued $60.9 billion in benefits to be spent in food stores that are authorized
to accept SNAP benefits (July 18, 2019). A vital role of SNAP is to provide low-income households with additional resources for buying food. As a result of this mechanism, low-income citizens have benefited by being able to buy nutritious meals. This is a win-win scenario for all involved.
Under Trump’s administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Special Investigations Unit, in conjunction with Federal law enforcement partners, conducted operations this week to target criminals engaged in defrauding American taxpayers by stealing SNAP benefits. Fraud is an intentional activity that breaks federal and/or state laws, while errors are mistakes. The solution for a failing economy is not misidentifying our citizens as the problem. Citizens are the solution.
Literatura / Literature
Notas al calce por JOSÉ
EDGARDO CRUZ FIGUEROA
Nota 1. El secreto de la felicidad. Los sabios de la antiguedad–dijo en el siglo XII Pedro de Montboissier, alias El Venerable, según lo cita Regine Pernoud en su estudio Eloisa y Abelardo–se han agotado en la búsqueda de la felicidad; han intentado con gran trabajo sacar de las entrañas de la tierra el secreto que se escondía a sus esfuerzos. De ahí la invención de las artes, los argumentos ambiguos, todas esas sectas, infinitas en número, y que se enfrentan constantemente unas a otras: unas sitúan la felicidad en el placer de los sentidos, otras en las virtudes del alma, otras las buscan bajo el hombre, otras rechazan estas teorías e inventan otras nuevas.
Yo no. Venero las artes, teorías seductoras me llevaron por caminos nuevos, quise ser un santo para redimir mi alma, fui parte de una secta y el placer de los sentidos nunca me fue extraño. Todo eso, a veces todo junto y a veces por separado. Pero, ¿por ser infeliz? Me río. Nunca he sido infeliz. Mis utopías eran concretas, utópicas porque todavía no tenían lugar en la Tierra, pero todas al alcance de la mano. Para mí la felicidad nunca fue un objetivo. No lo ha sido ni lo es. No fue ni es una abstracción. Tiene nombre de mujer. O quizás debo decir tuvo pues ¿quién es esa mujer? No puedo responder a esa pregunta pues ya no la recuerdo y ahora se me olvida su nombre. “Quiéreme, quiéreme, trigueña linda quiéreme”, dice el coro de una canción del Conjunto Mangual. “Si tú no me quieres, me quiere la otra”, responde el sonero. En esa inspiración se revela el secreto.
Nota 2. Gerundio pa’tí. Cuando tenga dinero compraré una casa. Ése es el ejemplo que encontré para ilustrar lo que era el gerundio. Estaba pensando escribir y al cabo de un rato decidí hacerlo.
Cuando me inspire, escribiré un cuento, comencé. Estaré sentado en una mesa redonda con tres sillas. Una está demás pues en la casa solo somos dos. Me quedaré con la tercera en caso que venga alguien a visitarme. Cuando escriba, tendré el abanico prendido sin que gire para que me eche fresco solo a mí. Por supuesto, en ese momento estaré solo. Cuando tenga compañía lo pondré a girar, aunque al girar hacia el vacío el aire se desperdicie.
Al lado del abanico hay una mesita con una lámpara de cristal. Cuando tenga tiempo, compraré la bombilla que le falta. La lámpara está conectada a un timer y todos los días, a las seis de la mañana y a las seis de la tarde, se escucha un click. La lámpara ni se prende ni se apaga pero al menos sé que hay corriente y que el timer funciona. Eso es importante.
Dije que somos dos pero ahora mismo estoy solo. Maribel llegará de Nueva York en diez días y cuando la vea le daré un beso. Me contará lo que pasó durante el trayecto y la escucharé con atención disimulada a menos que lo que me diga sea interesante. Será bueno tenerla a mi lado pues entonces dejaré de hablar solo. Después que desempaque y esté cómoda lo único que haré será escucharla. Maribel es locuaz. Eso me complace pues me quita la presión de tener que hablar. Cuando me cuente lo que hizo y lo que dejó de hacer mi mente divagará mientras mis ojos la miran atentamente. Solo le prestaré atención a lo que me diga al principio y al final en caso de que sospeche y me pregunte de qué me está hablando. Cuando le diga cuál es el tema de la historia que me cuenta y el último giro de la trama, quedará convencida de que la estaba escuchando.
El arte del disimulo es fundamental. La próxima vez que me encuentre con alguien tendré otra oportunidad de ensayarlo. Me dicen que cuando algo me aqueja, cuando tengo un dolor físico o emocional, no se me nota; que siempre me veo contento, apacible, ecuánime. Yo solo sé la rabia que me da que me hieran, ya sea abiertamente o a cuchillo de palo. Los demás no se dan cuenta pues domino el arte de disimular. Quizás cuando me ponga viejo será distinto pues me importará poco ser como soy sin ocultar nada. Cuando llegue ese momento todo el mundo lo sabrá.
Mientras tanto, en el presente, esperaré con disimulo a que me llegue la hora de revelar mi secreto. Si antes me llega la inspiración que anhelo, sospecho que será en el lugar menos pensado; quizás en la orilla de alguna playa, tal vez en un kiosco de alcapurrias al margen de alguna carretera, a lo mejor haciendo fila en la caja de un supermercado.
Una vez Maribel esté conmigo se acabará el silencio. Entonces, sentado en la mesa redonda, ahora con solo una silla desocupada, gozaré del aire del abanico girando de lado a lado. Si me llega la inspiración ahí, en ese momento, la acogeré sin disimulo, incluso si todavía no he llegado a viejo. Cuando eso pase, terminaré de escribir este cuento.
Nota 3. Con los pies hacia fuera. Cuando me dieron de alta en el hospital, querían que saliera en una silla de ruedas. Yo puse el grito en el cielo. En silla de ruedas yo no voy a ningún sitio, dije, en voz un poco más alta de lo normal. El enfermero viró los ojos hacia arriba. Don Arturo, no sea terco, me dijo, es la política del hospital. Me importa un bledo, le contesté. Yo no soy como esos que piden sillas de ruedas en el aeropuerto nada más que porque son obesos y vagos. Sé que del hospital sale gente débil y la necesitan, pero si tengo dos buenas piernas, ¿por qué no me dejas caminar? Bendito sea Dios no me haga perder tiempo, ripostó el enfermero, con un tono que indicaba irritación. Viejo incordio, pensó. Si insistes, sácame en camilla. Es de la única manera que consentiré a salir si no me dejas caminar, dije firmemente. Así fue que salí del hospital, con los pies hacia fuera. Ahora no tengo que imaginar cómo será cuando esté muerto.
Nota 4. Muerte en vida. El día de su funeral, Arturo Martínez se sintió vivo, alegre, electrificado. La oportunidad de ser testigo de su muerte le pareció incomparable. Estar muerto y vivo a la vez era mejor que morir y resuscitar pues éstos eran momentos distintos separados por un vacío de silencio. Así era cada vez que lo operaban. Antes del procedimiento moría y al disiparse la anestesia resucitaba. Entre un momento y otro el cirujano hacía su trabajo pero también podía hacer lo que le diera la gana sin que uno se enterara. Es mejor ser testigo de tu muerte o ponerte en estado de suspensión animada, como en las películas de ciencia ficción anticipadas por H.G. Wells y Amado Nervo.
JOSÉ EDGARDO CRUZ FIGUEROA (cruzjose5319@gmail.com) es natural de San Juan y criado en El Fanguito y Barrio Obrero en Santurce, Puerto Rico. Es profesor emérito de ciencias políticas en la Universidad del Estado de Nueva York en Albany
JOSÉ EDGARDO CRUZ FIGUEROA
Libros / Books
I Am Boricua
by SAMANTHA J. GARCIA -SHERPA • illustrated by THARUSHI FERNANDO
PENNSAUKEN TOWNSHIP, NJ | BOOKBABY | April 2025 | 32 pages
I Am Boricua is a tale of self-discovery that follows Flor, a young Puerto Rican growing up in Brooklyn, NY. Flor’s heartfelt exploration of Nuyorican identity celebrates the experiences of countless young Puerto Ricans who question their authenticity and language abilities. Join Flor as she embraces her heritage and finds a sense of belonging within the Puerto Rican diaspora.
About the Author
Samantha J. Garcia-Sherpa is a Nuyorican educator currently residing in Brooklyn, NY. Inspired by her Puerto Rican roots, she wrote I Am Boricua as a tribute to her family. With a background in Journalism and Education, she finds inspiration in travel and loves learning from different cultures. When she’s not writing stories,
Deuda Natal (Spanish and English Edition) by
MARA PASTOR
Samantha enjoys learning new things with her son and spending time with her family. Visit her at Nuyoricanbooks.com.
Tharushi Fernando is a fashion designer and boutique owner who graduated from the University of Moratuwa. She studied Fashion Design and Product Development, merging this expertise with her love of illustrations. I Am Boricua is a project near and dear to her heart, as she believes it encourages the reader to view themselves in a positive light, improving self-esteem in young children. In addition to her love of illustrating, Tharushi is a proud and busy mom to a baby boy.
translated
TUCSON, AZ | UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA PRESS | September 2021| 224 pages
Deuda Natal finds the beauty within vulnerability and the dignity amidst precariousness. As one of the most prominent voices in Puerto Rican poetry, Mara Pastor uses the poems in this new bilingual collection to highlight the way that fundamental forms of caring for life—and for language—can create a space of poetic decolonization. The poems in Deuda Natal propose new ways of understanding as they traverse a thematic landscape of women’s labor, the figure of the nomad and immigrant, and the return from economic exile to confront the catastrophic confluence of disaster and disaster capitalism.
The poems in Deuda Natal reckon with the stark environmental degradation in Puerto Rico and the larger impacts of global climate change as they navigate our changing world through a feminist lens. Pastor’s work asserts a feminist objection to our society’s obsession with production and the accumulation of wealth, offering readers an opportunity for collective vulnerability within these pages. For this remarkable work, Pastor has found unique allies in María José Giménez and Anna Rosenwong, the translators of Deuda Natal. Winner of the 2020 Ambroggio Prize of the Academy of American Poets, this collection showcases masterfully crafted and translated poems that are politically urgent and emotionally striking.
Editorial Reviews
Deuda Natal is a book of extraordinary simplicity and depth. It searches and (re)searches many truths and finds them, not in absolute values, but in the objects and acts of daily life: the home, romantic and maternal love, the roads that lead to the sea, and the comings and goings of migration, a world many of us inhabit. Deuda Natal is a book for everyone, those who come, those who go, and those who stay.”—Pablo Medina, author of Soledades
“Pastor is a chiseler of hard-won life experiences. The Other, in these hyper-compressed tales, actually counts. And interrelates. And creates a surplus of tension, enjoyment, but also, a radiant uncertainty. Her deft lines burst through in high relief–and the result is multi-scalar: when she’s talking about personal, it’s a wide public
MARÍA JOSÉ GIMÉNEZ
and
ANNA ROSENWONG
affair; when she talks wide public, it’s a personal intimation. Pastor fights impermanence by alchemizing permanencies into being. Phew ... Pastor is simply one of my absolute favorite poets.”––-Rodrigo Toscano, author of The Charm and the Dread
“There are books that are forecasted, books that are rounded up, and then there are books that you wait for no matter the storm. Deuda Natal by Mara Pastor, along with the accompanying translations, will awaken our consciousness to what will happen if we don’t pay closer, more compassionate attention to the climate and, more profoundly, our souls.”––Willie Perdomo, The Crazy Bunch
Authors
Mara Pastor (San Juan, 1980) is the author of Poemas para fomentar el turismo (2011), Arcadian Boutique (2015), Sal de magnesio (2015), Falsa heladería (2018), Deuda Natal (2021), and Las horas extra (2023), among others. She won the 2020 Ambroggio Prize from the Academy of American Poets and received the Letras Boricuas fellowship in 2023. She holds a Ph.D. in Literature from the University of Michigan. Her poems have appeared in Gatopardo, Latin American Literature Today, World Literature Today, and other journals. She is the creator of a poetry course for Domestika and directs the Creative Writing Program at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón.
María José Giménez is a poet, translator, and editor, and the 2019–21 poet laureate of Easthampton, Massachusetts.
Anna Rosenwong is a translator and developmental editor. Her work has been honored with the several awards, including one from the American Literary Translators Association.
Educación / Education
Holyoke Public Schools Retomará el Control Local de sus Escuelas el 1 de julio
BOSTON, MA | Department of Elementary and Secondary Education | Junio 23, 2025— La Administración de Healey-Driscoll anunció el pasado 23 de junio que las Holyoke Public Schools saldrán de la administración judicial estatal y volverán a controlar sus escuelas comenzando el 1 de julio. Este anuncio se produce tras una determinación provisional en octubre, que indicaba que el distrito estaría listo si el Comité Escolar completaba su plan de fortalecimiento de capacidades.
“Holyoke ha trabajado arduamente para recuperar el control local de sus escuelas, y este es un gran momento para la ciudad, los estudiantes, los educadores y las familias”, afirmó la gobernadora Maura Healey. “Estoy agradecida por el liderazgo del alcalde Joshua García, el Comité Escolar de Holyoke y los educadores de la ciudad por colaborar con nuestra administración para prepararse para este hito, y tengo confianza en que continuarán haciendo avanzar al distrito con éxito”.
“Holyoke es el primer distrito escolar en salir de la administración judicial estatal, y deberían sentirse orgullosos por este logro”, señaló la vicegobernadora Kim Driscoll. “Con el apoyo de los funcionarios electos locales y del DESE, y con Anthony Soto liderando el distrito como superintendente interino, las familias pueden esperar una transición fluida”.
“Si bien el trabajo de mejora escolar continuará en Holyoke, ha llegado el momento de que los líderes locales asuman la responsabilidad”, afirmó el secretario de Educación, Patrick A. Tutwiler, quien también actúa como comisionado interino. “La comunidad ha compartido de manera constante su opinión en los procesos de toma de decisiones del distrito, y el Comité Escolar trabajó en asociación con un Equipo Asesor Comunitario como parte del plan de fortalecimiento de capacidades. Esta experiencia constituye una base sólida para el futuro del distrito”.
“Este es un día de orgullo para Holyoke”, expresó el alcalde de Holyoke, Joshua A. Garcia, quien también preside el Comité Escolar.
“Nuestros educadores dedicados, estudiantes resilientes, familias comprometidas y una comunidad involucrada se han unido para lograr este éxito, reflejando nuestro compromiso compartido con el brillante futuro de nuestras escuelas”.
Los logros del distrito desde 2015 incluyen los siguientes:
• Un aumento en la tasa de graduación, del 60.2 % en 2014 al 77.1 % en 2024, incluyendo un aumento de 32 puntos porcentuales para estudiantes aprendices del inglés y de 31 puntos para estudiantes con discapacidades en el mismo período;
• Una reducción en la tasa de suspensiones fuera de la escuela del 20.0 % en 2013-2014 al 9.8 % en 2023-2024;
• Un aumento en el porcentaje de estudiantes de los grados 11.º y 12.º que completan cursos avanzados, del 39.5 % en 2018 al 57.0 % en 2024;
• Un aumento significativo en la participación de estudiantes hispanos/latinos en cursos avanzados en los grados 11.º y 12.º, del 32.2 % en 2018 al 54.6 % en 2024;
• La ampliación del programa de educación en dos idiomas para atender a más del 20 % de la población estudiantil de pre-K a 8.º grado;
• La ampliación de los programas de pre-K para ofrecer más de 500 plazas a las familias en el ciclo escolar 2024-2025, ya sea en aulas operadas por el distrito o por organizaciones asociadas;
• El rediseño de la Escuela Secundaria de Holyoke para ofrecer una Academia para Estudiantes de Primer Año, así como academias temáticas y carreras de educación técnica y profesional diseñadas para despertar el interés estudiantil y conectar el aprendizaje con el mundo real;
• Inscripción completa en los programas técnicos profesionales del campus Dean de la Escuela Secundaria de Holyoke desde el ciclo escolar 2021-2022, luego de casi una década de baja inscripción; y
• La redistribución del distrito en escuelas primarias e intermedias independientes, respaldada por la construcción de una nueva escuela intermedia que está programada para abrir en el otoño de 2025.
“El Comité Escolar de Holyoke y el Subcomité de Control Local trabajaron muy duro para llegar a este día, pero sabemos que nuestro trabajo apenas comienza”, declaró la Dra. Yadilette Rivera Colón, vicepresidenta del Comité Escolar. “Confío en que nuestra comunidad de Holyoke continuará unida en su sólido apoyo al éxito de nuestros estudiantes”.
Holyoke Public Schools atiende aproximadamente a 4,800 estudiantes desde preescolar hasta el 12.º grado y ha estado bajo la designación de bajo rendimiento crónico (administración judicial) desde el año 2015. El 29 de octubre de 2024, el entonces comisionado interino Johnston anunció su decisión provisional de retirar la designación de bajo rendimiento crónico a Holyoke Public Schools (HPS). El distrito estará bajo el gobierno del Comité Escolar a partir del 1 de julio.
Anthony Soto se ha desempeñado como reciever del distrito desde 2021. El 12 de mayo, el Comité Escolar ratificó un contrato para mantenerlo como superintendente interino para el año escolar 2025-2026.
Educación / Education
Registration open for Holyoke Community College Summer Youth Programs
HOLYOKE, MA | HOLYOKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE – Starting July 7 and running through August 8, HCC will offer 19 week-long, inperson summer programs – and many more online – for youth aged 8 to 17.
For more than 40 years, HCC has offered fun, challenging summer education activities for youth, providing early opportunities for students to experience a college environment guided and encouraged by experienced professionals.
HCC’s 2025 on-campus summer youth programs run Monday through Friday, some for a full day and others for a half day.
Travel the World with Chef Diana Swanigan (ages 9-15): Learn to create tasty tacos and burritos, pico de gallo, guacamole, spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, fried rice, chicken spring rolls, green bean basmati rice, coconut chicken curry, garlic naan, macaroni and cheese, buttermilk fried chicken, sweet cornbread muffins, and more. (9 a.m. to 3 p.m., $399)
Youth Culinary Arts Exploration with Chef Maureen Benton (ages 11-14): (9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., $229)
Youth Professional Baking with Chef Maureen Benton (ages 11-14): (12:30 – 4 p.m., $229)
Three young students from an HCC Summer Youth baking class in 2024.
All in-person programs will be held on the main HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave., except for cooking and baking classes, which are held at the HCC MGM Culinary Arts Institute, 164 Race St., Holyoke:
July 7-11:
Let’s Brunch! with Chef Diana Swanigan (ages 9-15): Learn how to make exquisite brunch items you can recreate at home, such as omelets, home-made focaccia breakfast sandwiches, French toast casserole, cowboy quiche, pancakes, and fruit and yogurt parfaits. (9 a.m. - 3 p.m., $399)
Youth Culinary Arts Exploration with Chef Maureen Benton (ages 11-14): Join us for a full-immersion program that pulls unique recipes from countries all over the world. (9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., $229)
Youth Professional Baking with Chef Maureen Benton (ages 11-14): Learn to create and plate a beautiful dessert worthy of a master pastry chef. (12:30 - 4 p.m., $229)
July 14-18:
ROBLOX Coders (age 8-10): Learn how to build 3D models and create an adventure in your ROBLOX world. Instructor Brittany Pietskowski. (9 a.m. to noon for ages 8-10; 1 to 4 p.m. for ages 11-14, $199)
July 21-25:
Make Your First Video Game: Go beyond the limitations of the traditional 2D game design and create an immersive 3D world. Instructor Brittany Pietskowski. (9 a.m. to noon for ages 8-10; 1 to 4 p.m. for ages 11-14, $199)
July 28-August 1
Youth Soccer Clinic (ages 7-17): A comprehensive soccer clinic for young athletes taught by Rob Galazka, head coach of the HCC women’s soccer team, with assistance from top college soccer players, stressing basic and advanced skills with plenty of one-on-one instruction (9 a.m.- 3 p.m., $399)
AI Adventures – Introduction to Machine Learning (ages 8-10): This program combines artificial intelligence with coding to create an unforgettable learning adventure. Instructor Brittany Pietskowski. (9 a.m. - noon for ages 8-10, 1 - 4 p.m. for ages 11 to 14, $199)
To register for in-person or online Summer Youth Program classes, please go to: hcc.edu/summer-youth
Darwin J. Cruz, Educador en Salud Comunitaria en la Prevención de la Diabetes en Holyoke
Darwin J. Cruz, de Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, pose una pasión innata de servir a los demás. Aunque su sueño de infancia era ser médico, su pasión lo llevó por otro camino lleno de propósito: se graduó con un Bachillerato en Ciencias de Enfermería en Río Piedras y desde entonces ha dedicado más de tres décadas al cuidado y a la educación en salud.
El diagnóstico de diabetes tipo I transformó su vida de manera personal y profesional. “Fue un momento decisivo”, relata Darwin. “No solo cambié mis hábitos, sino que decidí especializarme en esta condición para poder ayudar a otros”. Esta experiencia lo impulsó a convertirse en un referente en la educación sobre diabetes, especialmente dentro de comunidades hispanas vulnerables.
Al establecerse en Holyoke, Massachusetts, Darwin encontró una nueva misión. En esta ciudad, donde más del 51% de la población es hispana y las tasas de diabetes superan el promedio estatal, su experiencia se convirtió en un recurso vital.
Lo que comenzó con la organización de pequeñas clases en clínicas locales pronto se expandió a espacios como bibliotecas, centros de salud y programas para adultos mayores. Su enfoque se basa en talleres prácticos, culturalmente relevantes y enfocados en la prevención de enfermedades crónicas incluyendo a su vez talleres de nutrición.
Actualmente, trabaja en Nuestras Raíces, Inc., una organización comunitaria enfocada en la agricultura urbana que promueve salud, nutrición y sostenibilidad en la comunidad.
Darwin también ha colaborado con instituciones académicas y de salud como UMass Amherst, Holyoke Medical Center, Holyoke Health Center al igual que en varios programas de salud para adultos de la región.
Uno de sus mayores logros fue en julio de 2024, cuando celebró la graduación de 72 participantes de un programa educativo de salud y nutrición que duró de seis meses. Los participantes no solo aprendieron a controlar su glucosa sino que también aprendieron a adoptar un estilo de vida saludable que incluye una dieta equilibrada dirigida a mejorar su alimentación, pérdida de peso, y reducción de su A1c.
La prueba de A1c, también conocida como prueba de hemoglobina A1c o prueba de HbA1c, es una simple prueba de sangre usada para diagnosticar la prediabetes y la diabetes, y monitorear su progreso.
El programa educativo del verano de 2024 fue tan exitoso que se lanzaron dos nuevas iniciativas en diciembre: el “Diabetes Support Program” en Holyoke Medical Center, con duración de siete meses, y una cohorte de invierno de tres meses que sigue impactando vidas.
Darwin también co-organiza, junto a Sicry García - Outreach y Coordinadora de eventos de Nuestras Raíces organizan los programas de CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Esta iniciativa permite que los residentes compren una participación en la cosecha de una de las fincas locales de Nuestras Raíces, ubicada en la 24 Jones Ferry Road, Holyoke. Cada dos semanas, los participantes reciben frutas y vegetales frescos. Las personas interesadas pueden completar un formulario y recibir orientación sobre el costo.
Darwin atribuye el éxito de su trabajo comunitario a la ayuda incondicional de Nuestras Raíces. “Cuando imparto las clases de educación en diabetes, cuento con la gran ayuda de mis compañeros de trabajo, quienes, aunque forman parte de diferentes programas, siempre me brindan su apoyo con compromiso y entusiasmo”.
Darwin expresa su profundo agradecimiento a la Directora Ejecutiva
Hilda Roque y a su Asistente Kendy Capois, cuyo liderazgo y respaldo constante han sido claves en el desarrollo de estos programas.
“Mi propósito es claro: promover la salud y prevenir complicaciones crónicas antes de que sea demasiado tarde”.
DARWIN J. CRUZ
Kick-Off Event for the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade 2025
Friday June 27, 2025 from 6PM-10PM at UMass Springfield
The 2025 Parade Honorees were formally recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Puerto Rican community and beyond. They are: Peter “DJ Qremoso” Delgado - Cultural Ambassador, Alberto Navarro - Community Choice Ambassador, Black Men of Greater Springfield - Community Organization Ambassador, Ana Andino - Posthumous Ambassador, Michelle Nicole AcevedoLGBTQ+ Ambassador, Judah Barak Cacique - Youth Ambassador, Zoe Meliá - Sports Ambassador, Chief Jacqueline Robles - Civil Service Ambassador, José Delgado - Padrino Ambassador, Ana Soto - Madrina Ambassador, and Mayor Joshua García - Grand Marshal.
The 35th Annual Springfield Puerto Rican Parade will be held on Sunday, September 14, 2025
