El Sol Latino | June 2016 | 12.8

June 2016

Volume 12 No. 8

Un Peri贸dico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Dr. Ramon Torrecilha,

President of WSU on

Diversity and Inclusion

2

Editorial/Editorial

Latino Scholarship Fund 2016 Holyoke MA - May 24, 2016 Scholarship Recipients Dianelise Acevedo - Chicopee High School Yarellys Barreto - Holyoke High School Francheska Bermúdez - Springfield Renaissance School Juan Burgos - Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School Maeliz Colón - Holyoke High School Stephanie Colón - Holyoke High School Zaisha Colón - Holyoke High School Elijah Cruz - Springfield Central High School Xaymara Dejesús - Holyoke High School, Isaiah Martínez - Holyoke High School, Kayla Mateo - Chicopee High School, Gabriel Nieves - Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School Angel Ortiz - Northfield Mount Hermon School Nykesha Pérez - Holyoke High School Gabriela Ramírez-Lyon - Gateway Regional High School Eddy Reynoso - Springfield Central High School Phoenix Ríos - Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter HS Demi Rodríguez - Springfield Renaissance School Fabiana Rodríguez - South Hadley High School Aldelyz Ruiz Robles - Holyoke High School Aleeza Suárez Amador - High School of Commerce Kiara Torres - Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School Angélica Troche - Holyoke High School Ashley Westry - Holyoke High School Gabriella Wood - Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School Carlos Vega Community Champion Andrew Morehouse Executive Director Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Antonia Pantoja Award Elizabeth Barajas Román Chief Executive Officer Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts

contents

Cita del Mes/ Quote of the Month “The people of Puerto Rico get mad at me because I always say my first priority is the people of Idaho. This one just was kind of thrown on my lap when you are on the committee of jurisdiction. So no, it wasn’t intentional and it wasn’t like it felt like a cause to me. I don’t feel any pressure about this. I didn’t come to Congress to solve the problems of Puerto Rico.

I came to Congress to solve the problems of the United States.

Congressman Raúl Labrador

Congressman Labrador was born and raised in Puerto Rico. In 2010, he won the first of Idaho’s two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Labrador is a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus.

2 Editorial / Editorial Latino Scholarship Fund 2016 3 Portada / Front Page Dr. Ramon Torrecilha, President of WSU on Diversity and Inclusion 5 The Carlos Vega Fund Community Awards and Honors 2016 6 Boricua Exodus to the United States reaches Record Levels 7 Homenajeados del Desfile Nacional Puertorriqueño 2016 8 Orgullo Puertorriqueño: Pedro Julio to Represent LGBT Community at Puerto Rican Day Parade 9 ¿Qué Pasa en...?

12 Tinta Caliente / Hot Ink Opinión / Opinion Homeless Families 13 Libros / Books?

El Rastreador 14 Salud / Health El Programa 4C ayuda los niños más enfermos de la región 15 Deportes / Sports Equipo Femenino de Voleibol de PR clasifica para los Juegos Olímpicos 16 Liga de los Old Timers Softball League 2016

See more at: Congressman Vendepatria of Idaho

by Héctor Luis Alamo at: http://www.latinorebels. com/2016/05/26.

Founded in 2004 ! Volume 12, No. 8 ! June 2016 Editor

Foto del Mes/Photo of the Month

Tercera Clase Graduanda del Programa de Empresarios Comunitarios de Nuestras Raíces 27 de mayo de 2016 Foto MFR. Alejandro Torres, Jharikem Borrero Irizarry, Félix Machuca, Rosa González, Jessica Sánchez. Sentadas Miriam De León y Nydia Rivera

Manuel Frau Ramos manuelfrau@gmail.com 413-320-3826 Assistant Editor Ingrid Estrany-Frau Managing Editor Diosdado López Art Director Tennessee Media Design Business Address El Sol Latino P.O Box 572 Amherst, MA 01004-0572

Editorial Policy El Sol Latino acepta colaboraciones tanto en español como en inglés.

Nos comprometemos a examinarlas, pero no necesariamente a publicarlas. Nos reservamos el derecho de editar los textos y hacer correcciones por razones de espacio y/o estilo. Las colaboraciones pueden ser enviadas a nuestra dirección postal o a través de correo electrónico a: info@elsollatino.net.

El Sol Latino welcomes submissions in either English or Spanish.

We consider and review all submissions but reserve the right to not publish them. We reserve the right to edit texts and make corrections for reasons of space and/or style. Submissions may be sent to our postal address or via electronic mail to: info@elsollatino.net.

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.

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino June 2016

3

Dr. Ramon Torrecilha, President of WSU on Diversity and Inclusion by MANUEL FRAU RAMOS Dr. Ramon Torrecilha became the 20th president of Westfield State University (WSU) on December 1, 2015. He is the first Latino to head this institution since it was founded 1830.

Torreciha earned Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Sociology at Portland State University, and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The Department of Sociology at Madison has consistently been ranked as one of the top three in the nation.

Previous to Westfield State University, Torrecilha worked as a Full Professor of Sociology at California State University-Dominguez Hills, and served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the university. Previous to California State University-Dominguez Hills, Torrecilha worked in a variety of faculty and administrative posts— Director of the Public Policy Research Program on Contemporary Hispanic Issues for The Social Science Research Council, Director of Multicultural Programs and Executive Vice President at Mills College, and Provost and Executive Vice President at Berkeley College in New York, among others.

On April 26, 2016, El Sol Latino interviewed Torrecilha about his commitment to multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion.

El Sol Latino: We are curious to know how your last name Torrecilla became Torrecilha. Can you share with us some of the history behind this?

Torrecilha: My name is Torrecilla. I was born in Brazil. My mom is Brazilian but my father is Puerto Rican. In Portuguese there is no such thing as a double ll. And so in my birth certificate, instead of putting double ll they put the h, which is the Portuguese pronunciation of a Spanish name. So instead of Torrecilla, my name is Torrecilha with an h. It is a Portuguese version of a Spanish name. So that is the story.

Dr. Manuel Frau Ramos and Dr. Ramon Torrecjlha.

El Sol Latino: As you are aware, WSU is located in a region that has seen a considerable rise in the Latino population, especially in Holyoke and Springfield. How many Latino students are currently enrolled at WSU? Are you comfortable with these numbers?

Torrecilha: Thank you very much for that question. I was looking at the percent of Latinos with a college degree. In the age bracket of 15-29, only 15% of Latinos have a college degree, for the nation as a whole.

At the undergraduate level, WSU is a school of about 5,000. Nine percent of our students are Latinos. So you are talking about less than 500 students are Latinos. That number is very, very low.

The demographics of our student population have not changed that much.

The percentage of students of color has been sort of fairly stable. We are about 19% of all our students are students of color.

We have to do two things – we have to increase the opportunities for Latinos and other students of color. We also need to find a way of supporting first generation students in general.

The nine percent of Latino students, it is a challenge for us. We have to do better and increase those numbers.

My father is from Puerto Rico, from Loíza. Back in the 40s and 50s Puerto Rico and Cuba were on the forefront of sugar cane refineries. They had the know-how and they had the technology. And so that is how he got to Brazil.

He met with my mom in Brazil and they got married. Unfortunately they didn’t stay married very long. After five years he left.

The relationship between the families sort of disappeared for many, many years. Later on I went back and met some cousins in New York. I have not been to Puerto Rico for about 15 years.

El Sol Latino: Coming from California, what attracted you to apply for the job at Westfield State University?

I went to school in Portland, Oregon, Portland State University (PSU). PSU at that time was a fairly small institution and was an institution where students had really sort of direct contact and access to the faculty. Faculty at PSU really cared about not only about what took place in the classroom but really took an interest in its students. And that really changed my life.

It was a faculty member at PSU that said to me one day: “Ramon, you can do what I do.” When I heard that, then it became possible. I began to see myself as part of the academy. I began to see myself as somebody that some day could go on, get a Ph. D., and be teaching at a university.

After PSU, I went to Madison Wisconsin to get my Ph.D., and then took a job at the University of California, Irvine. Somewhere along the line I decided that what I really wanted to do was to become a university president some day. So I positioned myself throughout the years strategically so that one day I would be in the position that I am today. WSU spoke to me because the institution is a fairly small institution and the institution is really student centered. Faculty here really cares about students. That is important to me.

So when I was looking for places where I wanted to go, Westfield rose to the top of the list.

El Sol Latino: What are the retention and graduation rates of Latino students at WSU? Torrecilha: I don’t have the retention and graduation numbers. But I can say this. Our 4-year graduation rate, in general, is about 53%. And our 6-year graduation rate is about 64%. The achievement gap at WSU is not that high. That is to say, Latinos and students of color pretty much graduate at the same rate as other students. We have to do better in terms of retention and graduation rates.

Students, when they stop or when they drop out, is not an event, it’s a process. There is a series of events that sort of lead students to when they say I am dropping out. So, from the institutional point of view, we have to understand that process so that we can better support our students and make sure that we retain them and that they graduate.

Here is an interesting thing. When Latinos go to school, the whole family goes to school. You have to recruit not only the students, you have to recruit the whole family. And we also know that Latinos prefer to go to school close to home. continued on next page

4

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino June 2016

Dr. Ramon Torrecilha, President of WSU on Diversity and Inclusion

continued from previous page

As we begin to think about increasing the number of Latinos at WSU, what models do we have out there? There is a very effective one, a model that is part of Worcester State University. It is called LEI (Latino Education Institute). Mary Jo Marión has a program that recruits their whole family and works with the whole family with the goal of making sure that the students in the program enroll in an institution of higher education.

Excellence is an institutional value that should touch every student and every faculty member and every staff. I am hoping that this committee will be able to come up with programmatic initiatives that allow us to really delve into this question of inclusion. What does it mean to have an inclusive institution? The question is not whether our students are ready for WSU. The question is whether WSU is ready for our students.

The question for us is how can we partner with her, and partner with Holyoke and Springfield, sort of creating a similar program where those students would then come to WSU?

El Sol Latino: Does this transfer to faculty too?

El Sol Latino: Are you planning to review the institutional diversity, inclusion and affirmative action policies of WSU? Do you see WSU needing a Diversity Committee to address issues of multiculturalism on campus?

Torrecilha: I am coming very close to my first 100 days and one of the things we have been able to do is to reinstate that committee, the Committee for Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Affirmative Action. The committee was dormant for some years. We are reconvening the committee.

There are two parts of this work and they are equally important. We need to look at our hiring and retention practices on the side of staff and faculty. But there is also a programmatic aspect of this work. The programmatic aspect of this work really has to do with inclusion more so than diversity. The concept that I like is the concept of inclusion – of excellence in inclusion.

Torrecilha: What does it take to keep faculty of color? What does it take to keep students of color? When we bring in a faculty or a student of color that is a big investment on the part of the institution. So we need to make sure that that faculty of color, that student of color not only stay but will also succeed. We need to see how our institutional structures are supporting the faculty and are supporting those students.

You have to work on diversity, you have to be serious about inclusion, and you have to think about institutional practices and ask yourself, are they equitable? And so all three are important.

I worked with a lot of Sociology Departments through the American Sociological Association to infuse multiculturalism into the curriculum. One of the things I learned early on is that many institutions were more interested in this question of diversity but not necessarily in the institutional practices that may support that diversity. That’s why equity and inclusion are both important.

Publish your bilingual ad in El Sol Latino! Call us today at (413) 320-3826

¡Disfruta de la playa y de los libros – obtén créditos adicionales en HCC este verano!

• En línea • En el recinto • Transferible

Las clases comienzan el 6 de junio y el 11 de julio

www.hcc.edu

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino June 2016

5

The Carlos Vega Fund Community Awards and Honors 2016 by ORLANDO IZASA On Friday May 6th the Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice awarded over $9,000 in mini grants to 14 different organizations of the Greater Holyoke community. This was the fifth year of providing grants to address issues of poverty and oppression for those most marginalized by society. Mini-grants have been given to individuals, groups, or organizations whose endeavors address the basic causes of injustice and promote self-help and empowerment in support of social justice.

and why he respected them so deeply, was that they were truly and humbly dedicated to the message of Jesus in all parts of their lives,”’ she added.

This year, three community garden projects were supported including one at Lawrence School, Donahue School and Nuestras Raíces. Art and media youth programs were supported: Plunge Arts who will be working with Girls Inc.; New Horizons Community Center; and, Press Pass TV. The Aids Foundation of Western Massachusetts, The Care Center, Light House School, Keganin No Senshi Aikido, Holyoke Summer Strings and The Children’s Study Home all received grants to support their programs with youth, the LGBTQ community and teen mothers.

Attending the event at the Wistariahurst were several of the grant recipients, members of the Advisory Board including Carlos’ son State Representative Aaron Vega who is the chair of the Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice Advisory Committee. Carlos’ son Nicolas Vega-Frey and his sister Lauren Vega were present to represent the family.

Referring to her own work with Carlos and the Sisters of Saint joseph, Jane recounted some significant past experiences: “Many hours were spent on United Farm Worker picket-lines…With [Sister] Roberta we built a community garden in a vacant lot next to their apartment building. With Roberta, [Sister] Patty McDonald and others, we helped found Womanshelter/ Compañeras, a shelter for women and children affected by domestic violence. [Sister] Helen Gannon started the Survival Center on Hamilton Street to help provide clothing and information and referral to people who needed it. Voter registration drives, meetings and neighborhood block parties were held. City Hall was challenged for its racism and lack of concern for the poor.”

Carlos’ life and commitment to social justice was deeply influenced by the Sisters of Saint Joseph, his primary school teachers and partners in social justice work throughout his life.

Jane ended saying, “So today we present this award to your community for all you have done…and continue to do. We thank you for advocating for those in need from refugees to victims of human trafficking. We thank you for your initiation and involvement in so many organizations that have worked toward combatting hunger, discrimination and poverty. We thank you for nurturing and taking care of our children from day care through college. We thank you for your commitment to taking care of the earth and all its beings and resources. We thank you for speaking out for peace, justice and the dignity of all people. But most important of all… we thank you for being a good neighbor and friend to us all.”

“This afternoon we are very happy to present the second annual Carlos Vega Social Justice Award to the Sisters of St. Joseph, for their commitment to living simply and working for peace, justice and the dignity of all people,” stated Jane Frey. “One thing that drew Carlos to the Sisters of St. Joseph,

In closing the ceremony, Aaron said: “We try to honor the work and legacy of my dad and work to support the kind of activities he would have supported.” Carlos was alive for the first round of grant applications and awards so his impact on the process “continues with us every year.”

The Committee also honored the Sisters of St Joseph with their second annual Carlos Vega Social Justice Award. Last year’s recipients and supporters of the Fund, Tom and Lois Schwab, were at the event as well.

ORGANIZACIÓN CULTURAL PARA EL CAMBIO COMUNITARIO

Cultural Organizing for Community Change NOCHE INAUGURAL TALLERES VIERNES / 10 de junio SÁBADO / 11 de junio OPENING NIGHT / FRIDAY / June 10

WORKSHOPS / SATURDAY / June 11

CENA INCLUIDA

ALMUERZO INCLUIDO

5:00 PM - 8:00 PM DINNER PROVIDED

9:30 AM - 5:00 PM LUNCH PROVIDED

ESTUDIO CDE

362 Dwight St. Holyoke, MA

NOCHE INAUGURAL PRESENTADOR: ARTISTA Y ACTIVISTA

Ricardo Levins Morales www.rlmartstudio.com

CENTRO PARA LA PARTICIPACIÓN DEL DISEÑO CENTER FOR DESIGN ENGAGEMENT

Únete a compañeros residentes, organizadores, educadores y artistas para aprender formas efectivas de profundizar su creatividad en la organización para el cambio comunitario.

TODOS LOS EVENTOS + TALLERES SON GRATIS Y ABIERTO A TODOS ALL EVENTS + WORKSHOPS ARE FREE & open to all

TRADUCCIÓN AL ESPAÑOL

& CUIDADO DE NIÑOS

TRANSLATION TO SPANISH & CHILD CARE PROVIDED

Join fellow residents, organizers, educators and artists to learn effective ways to engage your creativity in organizing for community change.

Para registrarse: www.surveymonkey.com/r/723HFCX PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN COMUNIQUESE CON: JOSEPH KRUPCZYNSKI jkrup@umass.edu / (413) 626-4105

6

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino June 2016

Boricua Exodus to the United States reaches Record Levels by MANUEL FRAU RAMOS The Instituto de Estadísticas of Puerto Rico published in early May its latest report on the migration of Puerto Ricans to the United States. According to the analysis of the Institute, Puerto Rico could be poised to go through a population exodus of historical levels that could exceed the Great Migration of the early 50’s.

The Institute found that in 2014 the number of people who left the island far exceeded the number of people who entered. Estimates indicate that during that year, 64,000 people moved to the United States, while only 20,000 people came to the island.

The migration of 64,000 people represents that the island lost 1.8% of its population in a single month. This figure is the highest recorded in the last ten years.

The report notes that according to figures from the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the number of people who left the island by plane exceeded by more than 263,000 the people who arrived during the years 2010-2014. This figure exceeded the estimated by demographer Dr. José Vázquez Calzada of 237,000 people who left between 1950 and 1954 during the peak of the Great Migration.

The data are part of the Perfil del Migrante (Migrants Profile) 2014, which presents a picture

the migratory movement during 2014. Data from BTS was also used, which documents the arrival and departures of passenger in airports in Puerto Rico.

Another outstanding information from the Perfil del Migrante 2014 is about who is moving to the United States. In 2014, the number of people with some level of post-secondary education who moved to the United States exceeded by 17,000 the number of people who came to the island with the same educational level.

Since 2010, the proportion of Puerto Ricans with occupations in the areas of management, professional and related occupations that have left the island for the United States has been increasing every year.

Partial data released by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics US (BTS, for its acronym in English) reveals that during the first ten months of 2015, 112.490 more people left the island than the number of people who entered during this same period.

According to the Centro de Información Censal (CIC for its acronym in Spanish) of the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey, since the economic crisis began in 2006, about 600,000 island residents have moved to the United States.

The latest estimates of the United States Census Bureau indicate that Puerto Rico lost about 65,000 inhabitants between July 2014 and July 2015.

In 2004, the total population of the island was 3,826,878. In 2015, the population of Puerto Rico was estimated at 3,474,182 inhabitants, according to the Census.

VAYA VAYACON CON MUÑOZ Saturdays 10AM

WHMP radio

1600 AM Hampden 1400 AM Hampshire

extraordinary people multicultural views Natalia Muñoz w/ N

MUÑOZ

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino June 2016

7

Homenajeados del Desfile Nacional Puertorriqueño 2016 San Juan, PR. 25 de abril del 2016. - El Desfile Nacional Puertorriqueño anunció que la cantante internacional Ednita Nazario será la Gran Mariscal del desfile pautado para el domingo 12 de junio en la Quinta Avenida de Nueva York.

En una conferencia de prensa realizada en el Taller de Fotoperiodismo, en Puerta de Tierra, el Comité Organizador del Desfile también anunció que la Madrina de Honor 2016 será la actriz y presentadora Giselle Blondet y el Reconocimiento por Trayectoria en los Deportes será otorgado al legendario jugador de beisbol Cándido “Candy” Maldonado.

La dedicación 2016 irá al pueblo de Arecibo, Villa del Capitán Correa. La delegación del pueblo estará encabezada por la Fundación Quinto Centenario de Arecibo, presidida por Félix Rosario.

La actriz Jeimy Osorio, de la teleserie “Celia”, marchará como Boricua Destacada y el legendario sonero Andy Montañez recibirá el reconocimiento 2016 por trayectoria en la música. Larry Lugo, presidente de Indulac, recibirá un homenaje como empresario destacado.

“Este año es muy importante para Puerto Rico y nuestra organización,” dijo Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, presidenta del Desfile Nacional Puertorriqueño (NPRDP por sus siglas en inglés). “Tenemos que demostrar que pese a la crisis fiscal, los puertorriqueños seguimos unidos en la búsqueda de soluciones y exaltar nuestro orgullo, cultura y valores, como un puente conductor, unificador e inspirador hacia el futuro.”

Ednita, en un mensaje enviado al Comité Organizador del Desfile, dijo: “Me siento sumamente honrada y feliz de haber sido nombrada Gran Mariscal del Desfile Nacional Puertorriqueño en Nueva York. En años anteriores he asistido como madrina e invitada especial, y es una de las experiencias más emocionantes que he vivido. El despliegue de orgullo de nuestra comunidad

es una de las demostraciones más contundentes y hermosas que cualquiera de nosotros puede vivir.”

El Desfile 2016 también rendirá homenaje a estudiantes y profesionales boricuas destacados en las ciencias, tecnología digital, ingeniería y matemáticas (STEM por sus siglas en inglés). Los estudiantes Francisco Proskaueh Valerio, de THASIS School en Dorado (que rompió la curva en el exámen de Cultura e Idioma Español AP del College Board y ganó medalla de bronze en las Olimpiadas de Matemáticas en Tailandia) y Danita Vázquez, de la Escuela Secundaria Especializada en Ciencias, Matemáticas y Tecnología de Caguas (campeona nacional de Ajedrez y primera mujer en ganar el prestigioso Torneo Internacional de Ajedrez de San Sebastián, España).

Con este homenaje, el Comité Organizador busca resaltar el gran talento y destrezas de la fuerza laboral y estudiantil puertorriqueña, para fomentar el desarrollo económico y las inversiones en diferentes industrias en la isla. El logro de los jóvenes y profesionales puertorriqueños en STEM es una inspiración de que en Puerto Rico, aún en medio de la crisis, también están pasando cosas buenas y que hay toda una generación de puertorriqueños la isla hacia adelante.

Asimismo, el Desfile realizará un reconocimiento a la unidad familiar, y la histórica aprobación y ratificación del Artículo 68 del Código Civil de Puerto Rico, conocida como Ley del Matrimonio Igualitario.

Como parte de los homenajes póstumos a luminarios, el Desfile Nacional 2016 incluirá a los arecibeños Luisa Capetillo (1879-1922, líder feminista y dirigente laboral), René Marqués (1919-1979, dramaturgo, novelista y guionista) y Mirta Silva (1927-1987, compositora, cantante y productora).

Identifying, developing, and connecting diverse leaders to strengthen the region.

Applied leadership skills Team projects impacting real issues 360° view of the Valley Broader and more diverse connections

APPLY TODAY

Accepting applications until July 1 at www.leadershippv.org

8

Portada / Front Page

El Sol Latino June 2016

Orgullo Puertorriqueño: Pedro Julio to Represent LGBT Community at Puerto Rican Day Parade by NÉSTOR DAVID PASTOR When Pedro Julio Serrano first went to the annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City nearly one decade ago, he had only recently arrived from the island a few years before. He went with a group of friends, carrying a modified Puerto Rican flag with the colors of the rainbow replacing the traditional red, white, and blue. To some, the flag, along with his general presence, was an insult, a sign of disrespect. Those people told Pedro Julio he should leave. That experience would be marked by anti-slurs directed at him in English and Spanish. People even threw objects at him, including bottles. “It was very intense, you know?” he tells me.

Fast forward almost ten years later and the Puerto Rican diaspora has convened in East Harlem to discuss the current debt crisis facing the island.

After two full days attending panels and keynote speeches, there is one final plenary roundtable. Edwin Melendez, Director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, is asking panel members to summarize one-hour discussions on topics ranging from the importance of social media in fostering awareness of the economic crisis to the role of youth in developing innovative solutions.

It’s a room filled with artists, politicians, academics, war heroes, religious leaders, journalists, students, lawyers, and so on.

Then Edwin asks Pedro Julio, moderator of the LGBT panel, to speak. By that afternoon, it had already been something of a historic day. Over 30 Puerto Rican elected officials in the U.S. had met earlier at Federal Hall near Wall St. to approve the National Puerto Rican Agenda. Then the Archbishop of San Juan, Monsignor Roberto González Nieves, gave an emotional keynote address, one that brought many in the audience to tears.

The moment was not lost on Pedro Julio. “To see us as equals and to be seated at the table, helping to look for solutions for Puerto Rico, that shows how far we’ve come in terms of acceptance of the LGBT community.” He spoke about the panel of course, the history of the Puerto Rican LGBT community, and his own work as a human rights activist and founder of the organization Puerto Rico Para Tod@s. Then he made an unexpected announcement. The 59th annual Puerto Rican Day Parade would be dedicated to the LGBT community’s struggle. This announcement coincided with a District Court decision earlier in April that overturned a prior ruling declaring that the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling did not apply to Puerto Rico.

Family unity and acceptance are part of a larger theme that includes the LGBT community in this year’s parade, something that took years for Pedro Julio and his own family to sort through after he came out: “When I came out of the closet, there was a rejection on the part of my parents, denial. But with time, with love, with understanding, with those family ties, they were able to go from rejection and denial to tolerance, where we talked about it, but not much, not in detail, and after, we made it to acceptance [...] and now, it’s gotten to the point of celebration. They’ve become activists.”

The reaction to the announcement was overwhelmingly positive, eliciting a strong applause from the room. This particular moment had been germinating for close to a year when Pedro Julio made the announcement.

After the 2015 parade, the parade board sought more opportunities to expand upon themes such as social justice and environmental justice, as well as last year’s theme honoring Afro-Boricua heritage. The fight for marriage equality coincided with this burgeoning sense of progressive themes underpinning the parade. According to board member Louis Maldonado, this was a conscious effort, one that began in 2014 when the entire board was replaced.

So in early January, the idea to do something like honor the struggles of the LGBT community was already on their radar. When proposed to the fifteen member board by chairwoman Lorraine Cortés-Vasquez, it was ratified immediately according to Maldonado. Pedro Julio, a Senior Advisor of the New York City Council, received a phone call to discuss the possibility and several weeks later, a letter formally recognizing him as an honoree. Louis Maldonado also singled out Pedro Julio’s outspoken work as an advocate and activist both in New York and in Puerto Rico, in explaining the decision.

He would be receiving the same honor that Lin-Manuel Miranda had earned the year before–orgullo puertorriqueño, or the pride of Puerto Rico.

According to chairwoman Cortes-Vasquez, “a historical moment” is being recognized both within the Puerto Rican community and throughout the U.S. More specifically, acceptance of loved ones in the LGBT community is becoming a public, rather than private event for families.

So on Sunday, June 12th, Pedro Julio will ride in a car down 5th Avenue surrounded by members of his family. The honor is also a reminder of that first experience: “In the same parade where I was received with homophobia and insults, this year, I’m going to be marching as an honoree.” He then added, “It’s not a personal triumph, it’s a collective achievement.”

It’s also a question of love, respect, inclusion, and solidarity–Puerto Rican values according to him. A lot has changed in just under ten years. The timing of this honor also coincides with a much different experience the year before. Pedro Julio again went to the Puerto Rican Day Parade, but this time nobody yelled at him. Nobody threw a bottle either. Instead, people expressed their support. They took photos with him that he posted to his Instagram. Like the newly adopted slogan of the Puerto Rican Parade says, “Un pueblo, muchas voces.” * Néstor David Pastor is a Brooklyn-based writer and Queens native. He holds a B.A. in Spanish and a B.A. in English with a concentration in creative writing; he is currently enrolled at Queens College as an M.A. candidate in Spanish Language and Literature. He also works as an associate editor for Newtown Literary, and as a social media manager and translator for the award-winning Spanish podcast Radio Ambulante

Pedro Julio Serrano

© Center for Puerto Rican Studies. Published in Centro Voices / Current Affairs on May 6, 2016.

Publish your bilingual ad in El Sol Latino! Call us today at (413) 320-3826

¿Qué Pasa en...?

El Sol Latino June 2016

Chicopee Programa de Enfermería de Elms College

9

El Programa de Enfermería y la Oficina de Diversidad e Inclusión de Elms College celebraron la cultura latina dentro del campo de enfermería el sábado 9 de abril. El evento Enfermería de Elms College - “Cultivando un Futuro Saludable para Todos” reconoció a sus estudiantes que recibieron la beca “Nursing Workforce Diversity.”

Foto MFR. Brenda Samarís Rosario y Cheryl Sheils, Ed.D., R.N.

Cheryl Sheils, Ed.D., R.N. y Javier Venturi director de Diversidad e Inclusión, dieron la bienvenida al evento seguido con la música tradicional puertorriqueña de Bomba y Plena ejecutada por Los Gigantes de la Plena y acompañada por las bailarinas folclóricas Vanessa Bernecer, Carmen torres, Guillermina Morales y la reconocida Brenda Cepeda.

Foto MFR. Vanessa Bernecer y Los Gigantes de la Plena

El segundo El Sol Latino May 2014 segmento del evento estuvo a cargo de Darwin Jerry Cruz, quien declamó la poesía afroantillana mas reconocida de Puerto Rico, Majestad 9 1/8 x 5 3/8 Negra. Posteriormente Darwin presentó el cuento de Juan Bobo junto a Leslie Hernández. Cerraron el evento el conjunto musical “Poder del Mambo.”

Foto MFR. Leslie Hernández, Darwin Jerry Cruz, Carmen Torres, Guillermina Morales, Vanessa Bernecer, Tony Sánchez, Saúl El Pulpo Peñaloza-Cepeda, Freddy Rivera, Nelson Pipo Milano & Freddy Rivera

Your community radio station, broadcasting 24/7 from the campus of pring e d echnica ommunity o ege

www.wtccfm.org is your source for music from sa sa to o dies, gospe to a , to b uegrass, oto n and more, as e as cos de itmo, antares atino mericanos, and ub ouse ance usic p us oca ta sho s ith oca hosts discussing oca issues

10

¿Qué Pasa en...?

Holyoke Wistariahurst Museum: April Events

El Sol Latino June 2016

Certamen de Ms. Senior Latina

Spring Gala in the Garden!

Friday June 17, 2016 – 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

El certamen Ms. Senior Latina se llevo a cabo el pasado jueves 21 de abril en el Senior Center de Holyoke. Las 10 participantes fuero: Julita Rojas, Inocencia Colón, María Negrón, Margarita Arona, Mary Arocho, Dora Ojeda, Carmen Velázquez, Blanca Ortiz, Aleja Figueroa, Gloria Urbina.

This year we’re heading back to the post-war days when Holyoke’s dance halls were hoppin’!

Don your best mid-1940s Dance hall attire and join us to jitter and jive as we celebrate another year of art, music, and history at Wistariahurst.

Las 5 finalistas fueron: María Negrón 4ta, Gloria Urbina 3ra, Carmen Velázquez 2da, Blanca Ortiz 1ra y la reina fue Julita Rojas. Ms. Amistad fue Dora Ojeda y Ms. Simpatía fue Julita Rojas. Las floristas fueron, en el orden de la foto: Esperanza Márquez, Millie Lozada, Gladys Rivera, Bellamar Rodríguez, Felícita Campos, Virginia De Jesús, y Zoraida Ocacio.

The funds raised from this evening go to support public programming, building upkeep, exhibitions, and family programs.

El evento es organizado por la trabajadora social del Holyoke Council on Aging Magdaly Martínez.

Music by the O-Tones and food provided by The Log Cabin/Delaney House.

Graphic designs by Caleb Wetmore.

For more information or to view the schedule of events, visit www.wistariahurst.org.

The Lavender Blues: A Musical Revue Friday June 24, 2016 – 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

The Lavender Blues is a showcase of queer music before World War II. It is music history. It is queer history. It is women’s history. It is entertainment. It is life.

Modern cabaret performer Sarah Kilborne, great great granddaughter of William Skinner and the author of American Phoenix, returns to Wistariahurst with a brand new show that brings to light the quiet, yet powerful emergence between the world wars of songs that spoke about what it was like to be gay or “in the life.” From such legends as Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Gladys Bentley and Josephine Baker, Kilborne performs songs – written almost a century ago – that describe what it is like to be non-binary. Women performers were at the forefront of this quiet revolution in song, which coincided with the birth of the recording industry, ensuring that this music would last. Featuring music from Vaudeville, the Harlem Renaissance, Tin Pan Alley, the Weimar Republic, and more, The Lavender Blues takes us on a musical journey that illuminates a courageous and colorful time in America’s past when pioneering artists sang boldly about sexual and gender fluidity, something radical even for today – and as deliciously fun and inspiring as ever.

De izquieda a derecha - Julita Rojas, Inocencia Colón, María Negrón, Margarita Arona, Mary Arocho, Dora Ojeda, Carmen Velázquez, Blanca Ortiz, Aleja Figueroa, Gloria Urbina.

Written and Performed by Sarah S. Kilborne with Robert Cowie on Piano.

Pre-Sale Tickets: $12, $10 for Museum members. Cash bar. Tickets will be $15 at the door.

Tour the Mansion

Saturday June 25, 2016 – 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm In 1874, industrialist William Skinner moved his home from the hilltowns to Holyoke and opened his Skinner silk mills along the recently constructed canals. Join us as we explore the history of the Skinner family, the industrial history of Holyoke, and all of the nooks and crannies of the historic estate.

Please meet in the Carriage House Visitor’s Center upon arrival.

Adults $7 - Students and Seniors $5 - Members and Children under 12 free

Estelle Santiago, Wilfredo Meléndez, Diosdado López y María Pelcher

Veanos@www.issuu.com/elsollatino Veanos@www.issuu.com/elsollatino

Los jueces fueron Wilfredo Meléndez, Diosdado López, Estelle Santiago y Teniente del Departamneto de Bomberos de Holyoke, Maria Pelchar. La maestra de ceremonias fue Carmen Morales. Tambien hay una foto mia con algunos de los jueces por si la quieres incluir ya sabes mi nombre!!

¿Qué Pasa en...?

El Sol Latino June 2016

Holyoke

11

Recognizing/Honoring: Lydia Rivera, Papo Vélez, Dr. Gloria Guevara, Victor “Cuco” Guevara, Gloria Urbina, Angel Nieto, Rubén Urbina y Dr. Sonia Nieto Festival de La Familia Hispana at Springdale Park 844 Main Street, Holyoke July 14 from 4pm to 10pm - Christian Music Night July 15 from 5pm to 11pm - Bachata Heightz, José González y su Banda Criolla

La Familia Hispana 2016 events July 9, 2016 La Familia Hispana Annual Gala - From 6 pm to 12 midnight at the Waterfront Tavern @ 920 Main Street, Holyoke.

Music by Julio Enrique & his Group $20.00 Adult / Food and Fun July 16, 2016 La Familia Hispana - Recognizing Outstanding Latinos/Hispanics @ 9am at the Waterfront Tavern 920 Main Street, Holyoke. $15.00 Adults & $10.00 Children under 10 years.

July 16 from 12 noon to 11pm - NG2, Yerason July 17 from 1pm to 8pm - Charlie Aponte & his Orchestra, Frankie Rodríguez y su Orquesta Homenaje Western Massachusetts Puerto Rican Parade Sunday, July 17 at 11am from Pine Street & Resnic Boulevard, Holyoke, MA For more details & for Booths: www.lafamiliahispana.org or by calling 413-532-4496.

Latino Scholarship Fund 2016 • 25 Anniversary • Holyoke MA - May 24, 2016

Photo MFR. State Representative Aaron Vega and Andrew Morehouse

Photo MFR. Holyoke Public Schools students, staff, with Dr. Sonia Nieto and Dr. Stephen Zrike

Photo MFR. State Representative Aaron Vega and Elizabeth Barajas Román

Photo MFR. Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School students, staff and board members with Dr. Sonia Nieto

Photo MFR. Recipients of the Latino Scholarship Fund with members of the board and Dr. Sonia Nieto

El Sol Latino June 2016

12

In Holyoke…a non-

OT profit organization gets TINTNATE H INK involved in politics.

CALIE au Ramos

Por Manuel Fr

Many have been surprised by the decision taken by a Latino non-profit organization to support one of the three Hispanic candidates seeking to fill the vacant position in the Holyoke City Council. The non-profit sent an email to a group of councilors letting them know that they were supporting one specific candidate to fill this vacancy.

As far as I know, non-profit organizations should not be publicly supporting political candidates.

En Holyoke.... una organización sin fines de lucro se envuelve en la política. Muchos se han sorprendido por la

decisión tomada por una organización latina sin fines de lucro de apoyar a uno de los tres candidatos Hispanos que buscaban ocupar la posición vacante en el Holyoke City Council. La organización envió un correo electrónico a un grupo de concejales dejándoles saber que apoyaban a un candidato en específico para llenar esta vacante. Hasta donde yo tengo entendido, las organizaciones sin fines de lucro no deberían hacerle promoción pública a ningún candidato político.

Opinión / Opinion

Homeless Families

by WALTER MULLIN, Ph.D. and MIGUEL ARCE The number of homeless in the United States continues to increase. The National Center on Family Homelessness reports that there are over 2,500,000 individuals who are homeless. A 2015 report entitled “Services Matter: How Housing and Service Can End Family Homelessness” indicates that 85% of services providers see family homelessness increasing in their area during the last two years. Over 93% of providers agree that families living in poverty need services to remain stably housed.

Walter Mullin and Miguel Arce

According to a 2012 report “When the bough breaks: The effects of homelessness on young children”, homeless families are typically headed by a single woman in her 20s, with limited education (less than a high school degree), with two children (one or both under the age of six) and with very little prospect for earning a living wage to support themselves and their children. The effects of homelessness on children are devastating. Children in homeless families move approximately two and half times each year. Not only does this disrupt their family life, but it frequently requires them to change schools. For every move, it takes around six months for a child to recover academically. Some never recover. The long term effects of homelessness on children are costly.

Children are vulnerable as a result of their homelessness.

Homeless children are less likely to be raised in an environment that is rich in educational materials. The toxic stress of being poor and homeless hurts learning and memory. Research on homeless children has found that those children recognized fewer words than 99% of the other preschoolers. The same research found that 1/3 of the preschoolers experiencing homelessness had motor visual abilities that place them at the fifth percentile, that is, 95% of other children were doing better. In still another study, 75% have at least one major developmental delay.

Why has there been an increase in homeless trends? Often homelessness is created by unexpected financial setbacks, including unemployment.

However, some individuals are homeless because the resources to maintain a household are simply too little. It is hard to believe that a family of four could live on minimum wages. If one family member is receiving minimum wage and works forty hours a week and works 52 weeks a year ($10 X 40 hours a week X 52 weeks a year), they would have revenue of $20,800. According to the United States Health and Human Services, poverty guidelines for 2016, the poverty level for a family of four is $24,100. Can a family of four live on $20,800 or $24,100? Some low income families use 70% to 80% of their monthly revenue to pay for housing their families. After housing, little is left for food, transportation, clothing, medical, utilities, debt payment, personal and discretionary spending.

There is a need to develop and support partnerships to make decent, safe and affordable housing available which is based on affordability. Soup kitchens and emergency shelters are not enough. The National Alliance to End Homelessness has a goal is to end homelessness. They appreciate the complexity of the problem. They support successful, permanent strategies. The purpose of one such strategy, the Section 8 housing subsidy program, is to enable low income families to improve the quality of their housing. Recipients seek housing in private rental units. Section 8 pays the difference between the tenant contribution and the actual rent.

Another such program is the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Program. The McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act is a federal law that ensures immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. McKinneyVento provides federal funding to states for the purpose of supporting district programs that serve homeless students.

Even though Section 8 programs and the McKinney-Vento initiatives are important, the resources allocated to these programs are insufficient to meet demand, and that lack of adequate funding limits the programs’ success. The McKinney-Vento Act was, and remains, landmark legislation. The National Alliance to End Homeless state “The programs created by the McKinney-Vento Act are needed now more than ever, as homelessness shows no signs of abating. However, after more than a decade of an emergency response to a long-term crisis, it is clear that only by addressing the causes of homelessness. Without major political efforts to address the lack of jobs that pay a living wage, and the lack of realistically affordable housing homelessness will never be ended, children will be impacted and ultimately the problems associated with it will continue. No person, child or adult, should have to feel the fear of facing the streets without secure, decent residence. The impact can have a scaring effect on children that can continue throughout adulthood.

Walter Mullin, PhD (wmullin@springfieldcollege.edu) is a Professor at the School of Social Work at Springfield College. Miguel Arce MSW (marce@ springfieldcollege.edu) is an Associate Professor at the School of Social work at Springfield College.

Libros / Books

El Sol Latino June 2016

13

El Rastreador POR ",!.#! -)/3) s #REATE 3PACE )NDEPENDENT 0UBLISHING 0LATFORM *UNIO

PĂˆGINAS La autora peruana Blanca Miosi con su novela El Rastreador ha inventado una trama ficticia de espĂ­as, intriga internacional, y la realista amenaza de al-Qaeda, novela que es tan enraizada en el mundo actual que asusta al lector y le convence que estĂĄ viviendo una realidad inminente.

El protagonista ex-SEAL y militar Kevin Stookopf, de 37 aĂąos, busca refugio y una vida tranquila despuĂŠs de pasar aĂąos como agente encubierto. Ahora sĂłlo quiere vivir en una finca aislada “en la ceja de la selva peruana cerca de Satipoâ€? donde la vegetaciĂłn es “tan espesa que habĂ­a que andar con machete en mano para abrirse paso.â€? Como personaje de nobles valores inquebrantables, Kevin espera sanar el espĂ­ritu allĂ­, aislado, con el Ăşnico compaĂąerismo de Joanna MartĂ­nez Fernandini. Ésta, a pesar de que se ha enamorado de Kevin, esconde otro motivo por escoger estar con ĂŠl.

amigo por motivos personales.

La trama principal envuelve varias sub-tramas.

Kevin tiene un hermano dos aĂąos mayor que ĂŠl, Ian Stooskopf, quien trabaja en el Departamento de Estado de los EEUU. Ian es “frĂ­o, calculador y extraĂąo,â€? desconfĂ­a de todos, “a quien el contacto fĂ­sico con las personas le producĂ­a grima,â€? desprecia “la liberalidad del Occidente, especial la de sus mujeres,â€? pero sobre todo, es un psicĂłpata quien odia a su hermano Kevin y busca destruirlo. Piensa haber descubierto la manera de hacerlo cuando detiene a Joanna por ser narcotraficante. La manda a inmiscuirse en la vida de Kevin. Su plan se descarrila cuando Joanna se enamora de Kevin.

Otro personaje que figura en las vidas de Kevin, Daniel e Ian es la bella Nasrim Farah, quien se criaba en el ambiente de la familia Stookopf. Ambos Kevin y Daniel se enamoran de ella pero Nasrim sĂłlo quiere a Ian. Por amor, ella traiciona sus propios valores.

La tranquilidad se rompe cuando Charles Day de la CIA, (Agencia Central de Inteligencia de los EEUU), se presenta con una noticia alarmante: Daniel Contreras, antiguo compaĂąero militar e Ă­ntimo amigo de Kevin ha desaparecido y parece que es preso de Ayman al Zawahiri en Pakistan. Le dice Day que han captado una conversaciĂłn de Contreras y “Estamos seguros de que hablaba con gente de al-Qaeda.â€? SegĂşn la conversaciĂłn tienen planeado un atentado contra el presidente de los EEUU. No se sabe definitivamente si Day es prisionero o si se ha juntado con los de al-Qaeda, convirtiĂŠndose en traidor. Quieren que Kevin se infiltre en el cuerpo de seguridad de al-Queda y rescate a Daniel. La misiĂłn serĂĄ nombrada “Rastreador.â€?

El lector entra en un mundo de peligrosas intrigas en tierras lejanas con costumbres ajenas. Lo que da aun mĂĄs verisimilitud a la novela es la multitud de referencias a lugares, sucesos, y a personajes que de hecho existen hoy en dĂ­a. Cuando por fin penetra en al-Qaeda, Kevin llega a conocer al verdadero Ayman al Zawahiri, conocido tambiĂŠn por los apodos de Doctor Muerte, El Profesor, y el MĂŠdico, y como la mano derecha y mĂŠdico del ahora difunto Osama Bin Laden.

Para lograr este fin, Kevin tendrĂĄ que someterse a un entrenamiento riguroso y bastante brutal, y luego lo mandarĂĄn como preso a la cĂĄrcel Belmarsh, “Una cĂĄrcel en el Reino Unido equivalente a GuantĂĄnamo‌de mĂĄxima seguridad.â€? AllĂĄ se conocerĂĄ como Keled Jaume. Al ser liberado de la cĂĄrcel, irĂĄ a Peshawar (en Pakistan) supuestamente para casarse con una yihadista y asĂ­, “propagar la especieâ€? que trabaja “sirviendo a la yihadâ€?. Éste es el plan por el cual podrĂĄ penetrarse en al-Queda y rescatar a Daniel.

Con sus Ăşltimas obras, Miosi ha entrado en el mundo de “self-publishingâ€? y es nĂşmero uno en libros publicados asĂ­ en espaĂąol en Amazon. Su novela La bĂşsqueda, el niĂąo que se enfrentĂł a los Nazis, (2014) pasĂł 100 dĂ­as en la lista de “ bestsellersâ€? de AmazĂłn.

A pesar de que jurĂł dejar atrĂĄs la vida de espĂ­as y del terrorismo, Kevin se deja convencer por su amistad y lealtad a Daniel. AdemĂĄs, se lo debe a su

Miosi ha escrito una oportuna historia de suspenso que envuelve al lector intelectual y emocionalmente. Y la ha escrito desde su casa en Venezuela en donde ha vivido por tres dĂŠcadas.

ReseĂąa de Cathleen Robinson, profesora jubilada del espaĂąol y de la historia de la AmĂŠrica Latina.

14

Salud / Health

El Sol Latino June 2016

El Programa 4C ayuda los niños más enfermos de la región Los primeros seis años de la vida de Jazmed Martínez fueron marcados por un desafío tras otro: parálisis cerebral, epilepsia, demoras severas del desarrollo, un problema cardiaco grave, espasmos musculares y otras afecciones. Desde cualquier punto de vista, su caso médico es muy complicado, y Jazmed es un candidato ideal para el Programa 4C, financiado por el gobierno federal. El Programa Colaborativo y Consultivo de Coordinación de Cuidado (Collaborative Consultative Care Coordination Program, o 4C) está diseñado para mejorar la atención y recortar los costos de salud en algunos de los pacientes pediátricos más enfermos de Baystate Medical Center y Boston Medical Center.

“Gracias a los recientes avances de la medicina, hay una cantidad creciente de pacientes en nuestra región que pueden vivir en su comunidad, fuera del entorno hospitalario,” dijo el Dr. Matt Sadof, Co-Director del Programa 4C. “Las demandas de cuidado de estos niños pueden representar una enorme carga para sus familias y profesionales médicos. La atención recibida por estos niños abarca múltiples lugares, sistemas de salud y sistemas de información distintos.

Nuestro programa llena el espacio entre los complejos estratos de servicios necesarios para atender a estos niños y sus familias.”

comida en la mesa. En muchos casos, el cuidado que necesitan los niños como Jazmed es tan intenso que los padres tienen problemas para permanecer empleados. Para la familia Martínez, un obstáculo importante fue poder encontrar una casa segura donde instalar equipos médicos grandes, como una cama de hospital y equipos de alimentación.

“Jazmed fue hospitalizado recientemente y ahora depende de un respirador que requiere un circuito eléctrico separado,” dijo el Director del Programa 4C, Matt Lustig. “Como la familia con la que vivían no pudo agregar a Jazmed a su contrato de alquiler, no pudieron solicitar la instalación de este circuito eléctrico.

Nuestro trabajo se ha centrado en encontrar un lugar para su familia a través del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Comunitario (DHCD).”

Misión cumplida, por lo menos de forma temporal.

“Mi hijo estaba bajo cuidado intensivo y al mismo tiempo no teníamos dónde vivir, no tenía un lugar para él cuando salió del hospital,” dijo Jazmin. “Gracias al Programa 4C, ahora estoy en un albergue apropiado para mi hijo.”

Funciona de la siguiente manera: una vez que se refiere a un niño al programa 4C, el proceso de admisión incluye una evaluación por parte de varios miembros del equipo. Para estos pacientes no basta con el cuidado pediátrico de rutina. Un coordinador de cuidado de enfermería, psicólogo social, psiquiatra infantil, trabajador social clínico, coordinador de apoyo familiar (family navigator), nutricionista y pediatra dedicado a cuidados complejos atienden al niño desde el momento que ingresa al programa. De esa manera, cuando la madre de Jazmed, Jazmín, llega a una cita, no tiene que volver a explicar la situación de su hijo desde el comienzo a un médico distinto. El programa está diseñado para prevenir los contratiempos médicos.

Con tantos factores de estrés para Jazmin, el Dr. Sadof dice que es fundamental que pacientes como Jazmed no sufran ninguna interrupción en su cuidado.

Para asegurar una comunicación apropiada y un proceso más eficiente, los cuidadores tienen acceso a un plan de cuidado dinámico especializado y seguro almacenado en la “nube”, que pueden consultar desde cualquier dispositivo y en cualquier momento. Incluye un resumen médico, una lista de las personas y las actividades realizadas para mantener al niño saludable, objetivos cotidianos y planes de emergencia cuando hay algo que no funciona bien. De esta manera siempre hay un “hogar médico”, independientemente de la práctica, establecimiento o área geográfica donde se encuentre el niño.

Para poder participar en el programa, los niños tienen que tener problemas en tres o más órganos, ser atendidos por tres o más especialistas, asistir a 10 consultas clínicas por año y estar hospitalizados por lo menos 10 días por año, contando los días en la unidad de cuidados intensivos. Con demasiada frecuencia, estos niños son atendidos por los diversos médicos que están de turno en el momento de la consulta, como por ejemplo en la sala de emergencia. Esto puede causar un gran estrés mental y resultar en una experiencia frustrante tanto para el niño como para su familia. Al formar parte del programa 4C, Jazmed es atendido regularmente por el mismo equipo de profesionales, incluyendo aquellos que lo ven en su casa y en la escuela. El equipo lo evalúa como una persona integral, no como una serie de órganos.

Se estima que el 70% de los gastos de atención médica pediátrica se deben a la población pediátrica con necesidades especiales. Con el financiamiento y la guía del Programa de Galardones a la Innovación en Atención de la Salud, parte de los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid, el Programa 4C se propone mejorar drásticamente el cuidado de los niños más enfermos de este grupo y al mismo tiempo reducir sus costos de atención. En poco más de un año, casi 200 niños han sido admitidos al programa y muchos pacientes como Jazmed están demostrando una tremenda mejoría.

Cuando es necesario, traen a los especialistas apropiados para proporcionar la atención necesaria. Los trabajadores sociales del equipo, mientras tanto, ayudan a los padres a equilibrar las necesidades médicas extremas de su hijo con sus propias necesidades personales, como encontrar un trabajo y poner

“Este programa es muy importante para mí. No solo me ayudaron con mi hijo sino también con muchas cosas personales,” dijo Jazmin.

También hay un beneficio económico para el público. En el curso de un año, los ahorros estimados ascienden a más del 20% de los costos de atención, un total proyectado de más de $10,000 por paciente. Con una mejora gradual y ajustes, Sadof espera que estos ahorros crezcan, los estilos de vida de los pacientes mejoren y que un día este modelo del Programa 4C se convierta en la norma.

Publish your bilingual ad in El Sol Latino!

Call us today at (413) 320-3826

Deportes / Sports

El Sol Latino June 2016

15

Equipo Femenino de Voleibol de PR clasifica para los Juegos Olímpicos SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico) – El combinado de voleibol femenino de Puerto Rico conquistó el domingo, 22 de mayo de 2016 una histórica clasificación a los Juegos Olímpicos de Río de Janeiro 2016. Esta es la sexta ocasión que un equipo deportivo puertorriqueño nos representa en los juegos olímpicos; Baloncesto (Roma, 1960), béisbol (Seúl, 1988), softbol femenino (Atlanta, 1996) y voleibol de playa (Atenas, 2004).

El equipo de volibol de Puerto Rico derrotó 25-8, 25-23 y 25-15 a la selección nacional de Kenia ante 8,000 personas en el coliseo Roberto Clemente en la ciudad capital de San Juan. Puerto Rico completa el cuadro de Rio al unirse a Brasil, China, Serbia, Estados Unidos, Rusia, Camerún, Argentina, Japón, Italia, Holanda y Corea del Sur. El remate de Karina Ocasio para el punto 25 del primer parcial fue la llave que abrió la puerta de la clasificación a Rio de Janeiro, dejando a Kenia con solo ocho puntos (25-8). Puerto Rico estuvo sólido en el bloqueo y en la ofensiva ayudado por un Kenia errático.

“Estoy bien contenta después de tantos años juntas. Muchas nos queríamos retirar con un logro tan grande. Que mejor que lograrlo esta noche en casa llena. Aún no caigo en cuenta de lo que acaba de pasar. Este era mi logro personal y como equipo y lo logramos en casa”, indicó Ocasio, quien está en la selección desde 1999.

“Me retiro de la selección. Tengo una hija y quiero dedicarle tiempo de calidad… Esta semana fue bien emocional para mí. Traté de controlarlo, pero lloré mucho. Hubiese querido tener a mi hermana (Sheila Ocasio) en este momento tan importante. Lo hice por ella y por mí,” añadió la opuesto.

El documental del torneo clasificatorio a Río finalizó con un Puerto Rico mejorado en el tercer capítulo, 25-15. Núñez, dirigente de Puerto Rico, comenzó a darle juego a la nueva generación para ser agasajadas por el público en el coliseo Roberto Clemente.

Las mejores anotadoras por el sexteto patrio fueron Karina Ocasio 15 puntos y la capitana Yarimar Rosa, siete tantos. En causa perdida, Noel Murami 12 puntos y Everlyne Makuto, nueve.

Jeroton Clown

Music, Games, Balloons and Much More...

For More information call: Jerry & Brenda s jero4817@yahoo.com

Foto por Luis Daniel Sánchez Luna – Federación Puertorriqueña de Voleibol

En las estadísticas de equipo, Puerto Rico realizó 40 ataques, 10 bloqueos y 10 errores. Por Kenia, el trabajo colectivo fue de 23 ataques, 11 bloqueos, y 22 errores.

El equipo nacional de voleibol femenino para el torneo clasificatorio internacional fue integrado por: liberos Debora Sheilhamer y Shara Venegas; colocadoras Vilmarie Mojica y Natalia Valentín; esquinas Yarimar Rosa, Stephanie Enright, Aury Cruz, Daly Sanatana; centrales Diana Reyes, Alexandra Oquendo y Lynda Morales; opuesto Karina Ocasio, Shirley Ferrer, Paulina Prieto-Cerame.

Los Juegos Olímpicos de Río serán del 5 al 21 de agosto de 2016. Estos serán los primeros juegos olímpicos a celebrarse en América del Sur. Fuente: Comité Olímpico de Puerto Rico.

16

Deportes / Sports

El Sol Latino June 2016

LIGA DE LOS OLD TIMERS SOFTBALL LEAGUE 2016 Agresivos vs. Springfield 14 de mayo de 2016