May 2018
Volume 14 No. 6
Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Carmen Yulín Cruz
Hope and Leadership
contents
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OT TINTNAT E H INK CALIE
In Holyoke... There was a great
difference in the way that the event organizers dealt with El Sol Latino S FRAU RAMO por MANUEL during the visits to Holyoke of Congressman Luis Gutiérrez, former political prisoner Oscar López Rivera, and Mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz. While we were given direct and unlimited access to Gutiérrez and López Rivera, including time for interviews, during the recent visit of Carmen Yulín, our access to her was highly restricted. As the only Puerto Rican newspaper in the region, we expected better media access to her during this important visit.
En Holyoke… Hubo una gran diferencia en el trato que se le dió a El Sol Latino como de parte de los organizadores de las visitas a Holyoke del Congresista Luis Gutiérrez, del ex-preso político Oscar López Rivera, y la de la Alcaldesa de San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz. Mientras se nos facilitó el acceso directo e ilimitado a Gutiérrez y a López Rivera, incluyendo tiempo para entrevistas, durante la receinte visita de Carmen Yulín, nuestro acceso a ella estuvo altamente restringido. Como el único periódico puertorriqueño de la región, esperábamos un mejor acceso a ella durante esta importante visita.
Cita del Mes/ Quote of the Month “She brings a message of hope, resistance, and tireless work for one’s community that I know will resonate with our campus community and with the local community in Holyoke.” by Amy E. Martin on the visit by Carmen Yulín Cruz, San Juan mayor to Mount Holyoke College on April 26, 2018. Martin is the Interim Director of the Weissman Center for Leadership, MHC
2 Tinta Caliente / Hot Ink 3 Portada / Front Page Carmen Yulín Cruz talks about Leadership and Hope at MHC 5 Historiador Tirado Rivera ofrecerá charla sobre Guayama 6 Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice Announces Mini-Grants 7 UCONN People Empowering People Program Coming to Western Mass 8 Ms. Senior Latina 2018 9 Opinión / Opinion Unequal exposure to ecological hazards and environmental injustice 10 A Great Message, But Did Anyone Who Should Have Heard It Hear It? 11 Recovering Puerto Rico: Lessons from New York City’s Fiscal Crisis 12 Latinos and the “Of Color” Problem 13 Libros / Books Más Allá del Invierno 14 Island Wildlife: Exiles, Expats and Exotic Others 15 Ciencias / Science What is evolution?
Foto del Mes/Photo of the Month
Carmen Yulín Cruz receiving the key to the City of Holyoke On Friday, April 27, 2018 Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse presented Carmen Yulín Cruz, Mayor of San Juan, PR with the key to the City on a ceremony held at City Hall.
Founded in 2004 n Volume 14, No. 6 n May 2018 Editor 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 May 2018
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Carmen Yulín Cruz talks about Leadership and Hope at MHC by MANUEL FRAU RAMOS | manuelfrau@gmail.com
1945], that some animals are more equal than others?
Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto, the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico and a prominent critic of the relief response of President Donald Trump to the Puerto Rican humanitarian crisis as a consequence of Hurricane María, was the speaker at Mount Holyoke College (MHC) on April 27, in Chapin Auditorium.
According to Yulín, one other valuable lesson that a true leader must embrace is to learn to choose your fights because “you either use your time to set a new path or you waste your time with those that just don’t get it.”
In her talk at the College, Carmen Yulín Cruz or Yulín, as she is popularly known in Puerto Rico, addressed a packed crowd. She talked not only about the humanitarian side of the aftermath, but also touched on themes related to social justice, the colonial status of the island, and the role of women as leaders in society.
She encouraged women to take a step forward and assume leadership roles in all areas of their lives. “Don’t be afraid to speak up. Some people will like it, some people won’t like it. And there’s nothing, nothing that upsets some insecure people more than a woman that knows exactly what to do and exactly when to do it.”
Yulín’s visit to MHC was the result of an initiative by San Juan native Sofía Elisa Rivera, a Mount Holyoke College student who is set to graduate this Spring. According to Rivera in her introductory remarks in Chapin Auditorium, the idea to bring Yulín to the College came about at a Weissman Center for Leadership dinner during a conversation with Janet Lansberry, Associate Director of the Center. Rivera told the audience that, following a positive remark made by Lansberry about Yulín, Rivera blurted out, “I’m going to bring her here!” Rivera, with the backing of the Weissman Center for Leadership, which oversaw the mayor’s visit, and the diligent work of Holyoke City Councilor Jossie Valentín, Yulín’s visit to the area took shape and eventually became a reality. “This visit was essential because Mount Holyoke is 10 minutes away from a city (Holyoke) that has the most Puerto Ricans per capita,” Rivera explained. She added that it is important to keep the conversation alive about what is happening in Puerto Rico because MHC is in the middle of communities like Springfield, Chicopee, and South Hadley with a large Puerto Rican diaspora and it is important to acknowledge what we can do to help. Prior to her talk at Mount Holyoke College, Yulín made a stop in New York City to accept the award by Time magazine as one of 2018’s “100 Most Influential People” for her courage and tenacity in the wake of the storm. Yulín has also been recognized and has gained international attention for her tireless advocacy to bring attention to Puerto Rico’s humanitarian crisis. At her talk at MHC, Yulín repeatedly emphasized the importance of true leadership in times of crisis. Her lessons on leadership began with, “Once you are committed to something, you continue to do it.” She stressed the importance of realizing that, as a leader, people work with you, and not for you, adding that, “Leadership isn’t a solo act. It is a collaboration of hundreds of people that paved the way for you.” Yulín compared her style of leadership in the midst of Puerto Rico’s crisis to Trump’s reaction to the aftermath, “What kind of a leader would I have been if I would have been playing golf at Mar-A-Lago rather than been doing what I had to do?” Following this line of thought, she went on to add that, “Leadership comes from: What do you think people are? Do you think they are all worth it or do you think, like in Animal Farm [book by George Orwell,
Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto
Yulín ended the evening on a very personal note, remembering the words of her beloved grandmother Yulín Vega from Ensenada, in Guánica, Puerto Rico, who once told her, “Don’t ever start a fight but don’t ever, ever, ever, walk away from one, and finish them all, every single day of your life.”
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Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino May 2018
Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino May 2018
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Historiador Tirado Rivera ofrecerá charla sobre Guayama por MANUEL FRAU RAMOS | manuelfrau@gmail.com
Dr. Alexis Oscar Tirado Rivera
El historiador y profesor de la Universidad de Puerto Rico - Cayey el Dr. Alexis Oscar Tirado Rivera ofrecerá una charla de la historia de la ciudad de Guayama como parte de las actividades de la exhibición Museo Casa Cautiño-Insúa: Romance, Arquitectura y Economía. La exhibición es un proyecto de la economista, artista y profesora de Cambridge College, natural de Guayama, Alvilda Sophia Anaya Alegría y la colaboración de Aníbal Ernesto Rodríguez Ayala del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP). Rodríguez Ayala, es historiador y educador (Museum Educator) y experto de los museos del ICP en la región sur de Puerto Rico. Anaya Alegría y Rodríguez Ayala son co-curadores de la extraordinaria y costosa exhibición. El apoyo principal al proyecto cultural Museo Casa Cautiño-Insúa: Romance, Arquitectura y Economía proviene del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP) el cual es co-patrocinador de esta exhibición.
en 1887. Esta histórica casa museo, como la casa Belle del Wistariahurst, está diseñada para evocar romanticismo en sus huéspedes. A través de la historia, la fotografía y el arte, la exhibición explora los paralelismos entre el Wistariahurst y el Museo Casa Cautiño, incluyendo fuertes habitantes femeninas y estrechos vínculos con el desarrollo económico de sus respectivas ciudades natales, y las diferencias en la arquitectura y las historias de las dos casas. Colaboraron en el proyecto la Profesora Alba Martínez, en la fase de investigación histórica, Mabel Martínez en el área de traducción, Penni Martorell, curadora oficial del Wistariahurst, y el periódico El Sol Latino. Programas especiales s para visitas de estudiantes, desde elemental hasta nivel universitario estarán disponibles. Para obtener más información, puede llamar a: Alvilda al (857) 261-3627 ó por correo electrónico: alvilda.anaya@gmail.com
HAGA VALER SU VERANO
¡Obtenga créditos adicionales, cumpla los requisitos del título, salga adelante!
La charla del Dr. Tirado Rivera titulada, “Historia de una ciudad: Guayama 1898-1930” se llevará a cabo el miércoles 23 de mayo de 6:00 pm a 8:00 en el Wistariahurst, co-patrocinador de la exhibición. Su presentación está basada en su investigación sobre Guayama publicada en su libro con el mismo nombre. El libro fue publicado por Ediciones Bayoán en el 2014. Dr. Félix R. Huertas González, Presidente de la Asociación Puertorriqueña de Historiadores (APH) resalta que [...] el libro del doctor Tirado es una valiosa aportación a la historiografía puertorriqueña y un excelente trabajo de microhistoria. Es un trabajo riguroso, preciso y profundo que se sostiene por una variedad de fuentes documentales. Es un excelente recurso de información para entender el Guayama de principios del siglo pasado y una mirada extraordinaria para entender nuestro presente. Con la publicación del libro Historia de una ciudad: Guayama (1898-1930) del doctor Tirado se llena un espacio desatendido y se logra ampliar y profundizar en la historia de un municipio emblemático para el devenir de nuestra Historia de Puerto Rico. La exhibición se enfoca en la arquitectura y la historia del Museo Casa Cautiño, una llamativa estructura neoclásica construida en Guayama
Las clases comienzan
el 4 de juno
hcc.edu
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Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino May 2018
Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice Announces Mini-Grants Holyoke, April 20, 2018. The Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice is awarding 12 mini-grants totaling $8,505 to organizations in the Holyoke area who are fighting injustice, oppression and poverty. The awardees are: Granby Public Schools, @The Gray House, Holyoke Public Library, Holyoke Safe Neighborhood Initiative, Home City Development, Igualidad Friends of the Paolo Freire Social Justice Charter School, LightHouse Holyoke, Morgan Elementary School, Nuestras Raíces, Nueva Esperanza, Plunge Arts, and WestMass ElderCare and the Holyoke Council on Aging & Senior Center.
May 2015
Medina Lichtenstein is the Executive Director of Enlace de Familias on Main St. in Holyoke. Most recently, Enlace’s Family Resource Center has been a designated Welcome Center for Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria. The public is invited to attend the event. Volume 11 No. 6
Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice 2015
This is the seventh year the Carlos Vega Fund has made mini-grants. The awards will be presented on May 18, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. at the Wistariahurst Museum, 238 Cabot Street in Holyoke, home of the Carlos Vega Collection of Latino History. This year the fund received 17 applications totaling $15,305.
Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
Carlos Vega was an ardent activist for civil rights, community building, education, healthcare, and social justice in Holyoke. The donor designated fund, which is managed by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, was started in 2010 to honor Carlos on his 60th birthday and to continue his forty-year legacy by awarding small grants to nonprofit organizations through an annual competitive process. The mini-grants are awarded to initiatives that foster change and promote empowerment, self-help, and economic, political and social justice. The purpose of the mini-grants is to support efforts to address injustice, oppression, and poverty in the greater Holyoke area, particularly for those who are marginalized by our society.
Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper
In addition to presenting the mini-grants, the Carlos Vega Fund for Social Justice will honor Betty Medina Lichtenstein with the Carlos Vega Social Justice Award.
Matrícula de PreͲK y Kindergarten en Holyoke PreͲK and Kindergarten Registration
Programas Gratuitos de PreͲK y Kindergarten
Período de Matrícula: 1ro abril Ͳ 1ro sept.
Eventos de Matrícula 8:30amͲ2:30pm Llame o visite el Centro de Matrícula de Estudiantes Programe una cita para matrícula (fechas a la derecha)
Calle Suffolk #57, Primer Piso derecha, Holyoke LunesͲViernes 8:00 amͲ4:00 pm (413) 534Ͳ2000 ext. 1102, 1103 | www.hps.holyoke.ma.us
Documentos requeridos para la matrícula
Solicitud completa Certificado de nacimiento del niño Récord de vacunas Examen físico del niño (dentro del último año), incluyendo prueba de plomo 3 Pruebas de dirección en Holyoke, incluyendo 1 de CADA categoría: Ͳ Evidencia de Identificación: licencia de conducir válida, MA ID, pasaporte, etc. Ͳ Evidencia de Residencia: hipoteca, contrato de alquiler firmado, etc Ͳ Evidencia de Ocupación: Cuenta de servicios a su nombre de los últimos 60 días
2 mayo
Escuela Sullivan
Ave. Jarvis #400
3 mayo
Escuela Kelly
Calle West #216
8 mayo
Escuela Morgan
Calle South Bridge #596
9 mayo
Escuela McMahon
Calle Kane #75
16 mayo
Escuela Donahue
Calle Whiting Farms #210
18 mayo
Escuela Metcalf
Calle Northampton #2019
22 mayo
Escuela Lawrence
Calle Cabot #156
23 mayo
Escuela EN White
Calle Jefferson #1
30 mayo
Escuela Metcalf
Calle Northampton #2019
*Niños deben tener 3 años en o antes de 1 sept. 2018 para matricularse en PreͲK. Los espacios son limitados. *Niños deben tener 5 años en o antes de 1 sept. 2018 para matricularse en Kindergarten. *Los estudiantes son asignados a su escuela de zona. Visite www.hps.holyoke.ma.us y busque “Zone Locator” para encontrar su escuela de zona.
Portada / Front Page UCONN People Empowering People Program Coming to Western Mass HOLYOKE, April 15, 2018. Worrying about problems in your community? Help change them! Turn your concern for children into action! Learn the skills to make this happen. The UCONN People Empowering People Program is coming to Springfield, and Holyoke, Mass. this spring. Nueva Esperanza, in collaboration with Massachusetts Parents United is about to begin the University of Connecticut Extension People Empowering People Program in Springfield and Holyoke, Mass. The program that takes place all over New England is a personal and leadership development program with a strong community focus. The program is facilitated by Nueva Esperanza’s trained facilitators and includes ten two-hour sessions on values, communication skills, problem-solving skills, parenting skills, leadership skills, action planning and community opportunity. Following the training, participants attend weekly sessions and work on projects that benefit the community. “We are so excited to work with Nueva Esperanza to train a new cohort of organizers who are ready to change their community. The robust and inspiring content in the program is exactly what we need to develop new leaders who can effectively take on the daily challenges that are preventing our families from thriving and we’re grateful to be part of this opportunity,” said Brian Bass, Director of Organizing and Coalitions for Massachusetts Parents United. “Nueva Esperanza is pleased to be partnering with Massachusetts Parents United to bring UCONN PEP back to life in Massachusetts. We are thankful to our funders who supported the training of 6 UCONN PEP Facilitators in the hopes to bring the program to the entire region/state,” said Nelson Rafael Roman, Executive Director of Nueva Esperanza.
The program will run simultaneously in both cities on Wednesdays beginning May 23rd, 2018 from 6 pm – 8 pm. Refreshments and childcare will be provided at both sites. Space is limited to 15 individuals per city. The program is about 10 weeks, plus projects and graduation. The Springfield location for the training will take place at the Massachusetts Parents United Center in Springfield, located at 20L Maple Street, Springfield, MA 01103, and the Holyoke training will be held at Nueva Esperanza, 401 Main Street, Holyoke, MA 01040. For applications please contact either Nueva Esperanza or Massachusetts Parents United at the information provided above. Contact: Nelson Rafael Roman, Executive Director- Nueva Esperanza Email: NelsonRoman@nuevaofholyoke.org | Phone: 413-437-7666 Contact: Brian Bass, Director of Organizing and Coalitions, MA Parents United Email: brian@maparents.org | Phone: 413-363-9873
Publish your bilingual ad in El Sol Latino! Call us today at (413) 320-3826.
El Sol Latino May 2018
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Need Summer Classes? Register Now!
Online: www.stcc.edu/summer Walk-in: Registrar’s Office, Garvey Hall South/Bldg. 15 Phone: (413) 755-4321
Classe s a re of o n- c a fe re d mp u s on li ne a nd !
5-week Sessions:
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VAYA VAYACON CON MUÑOZ 4/23/18 El Sol Latino 1/4 page: 4.75” x 5.75” Manuel Frau Ramos: manuelfrau@gmail.com Runs: May and June 2018
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extraordinary people multicultural views Natalia Muñoz w/ N
MUÑOZ
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Portada / Front Page
El Sol Latino May 2018
Ms. Senior Latina 2018 El pasado 19 de abril se celebró el anual certamen de Ms. Senior Latina 2018 en el Holyoke Senior Center. Este año Carmen Velázquez fue seleccionada como la ganadora.
Ms. Senior Latina 2018 18 bril, 20 19 de a 4:00 pm r r Cente e Senio Holyok reet st e in 291 P e, MA Holyok
, Jueves
amos!!
Te Esper
. ado por… Auspici d Englan lth New SCO ea H lth Care ited Hea Un uz Cr . M Kyong
Magdaly Martínez (Senior Social Worker) y Carmen Velázquez (Ms. Senior Latina 2018)
Concursantes y Jueces
De izquierda a derecha: Ana Fines, Darwin Cruz (juez), Minerva García, Virginia De Jesús, María Negrón, Margarita Arona, Aleja Figueroa, Blanca Ortiz, Carmen Velázquez (Ms. Senior Latina 2018), Carmen Rosado, Carla Figueroa (juez), Natalie Rodríguez (juez) y Aaron Vega (juez). Ausente de la foto Minerva Rivera.
Opinión / Opinion
El Sol Latino May 2018
9
Unequal exposure to ecological hazards and environmental injustice by MIGUEL ARCE and WALTER MULLIN Americans want to live in communities where the environment is healthy. The reality, however, is that people with low-incomes, Latinos and people of color bear the brunt of living in environmentally dangerous locales. This fact embodies political negligence that is discriminatory. Whenever there is a report about the health status of people who live in low income or poor neighborhoods, statistics show that those who live there have more health problems than those who live elsewhere. Theorists attribute these differences to the life style of the residents saying that people in low income or poor neighborhoods do not take care of their heath. This line of thinking is consistent with the idea of “blaming the victim” and misses the fact that the physical environment plays a major role in one’s health. It leaves out the idea that “people in poor neighborhoods breath more hazardous particles” than others (Scientific American, 2012). It also misses that “…there is much more to our health than bad habits, health care, or unlucky genes. The social circumstances in which we are born, live, and work can actually get under our skin and disrupt our physiology as much as germs and viruses” (Unnatural Causes, PBS). In 2002, a statewide study was undertaken on social and geographic distribution of ecological hazards across 368 communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The findings indicated that ecologically hazardous sites and facilities are disproportionately located and concentered in communities of color and working class communities. Comparisons were made of low and high income communities. The 2002 study found unequal exposure to landfills and transfer stations, exposure to polluting industrial facilities, incinerators, power plants, and unequal community exposure to cumulative environmental hazards. Other studies have included smog, noise pollution and congested highways as environmental factors that are disproportionately part of living in low income communities. Beyond a doubt, studies have demonstrated consistent patterns of environmental racism and class based ecological injustice. The conclusions of all the reports are that communities most heavily overburdened are low income communities and communities of color Environmental hazards exist on the community and neighborhood level as well as in people’s homes and rented apartments. Although safe housing is a fundamental human right and a determinant of health, low-income people are forced to live in unhealthy locales. Income and the choice of housing are closely related. Without financial resources poor people live in older dilapidated homes with poor ventilation and insulation that traps indoor pollutants. Frequently, these homes do not have efficient heating systems resulting in mold and poor indoor air quality. The paint on the woodwork often contains dangerous levels of lead. What can be done to address the problems of environmental injustice? As with any social issue, the first step is to increase awareness of the reality. The second step is to enact political action. Currently, on the national scene, there is ongoing daily news about the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, and his record of working against already established federal policies intended to protect the environment. Mr. Pruitt’s actions suggest that he is willing to value business
profits over aggressively protecting the environment. Accordingly, Mr. Pruitt has worked to repeal or scale back the Clean Air Act and the Clean Power Act. His actions impact low-income communities more than any other. In working on the repeals of environmental protections, he is undervaluing scientific research that serves to mobilize politicians and environmental activists to work on behalf of low-income and racially diverse people. Advocates for environmental justice and reproductive health point out those dangerous pollutants in the air put an immense burden on women of color who are of child-bearing age. The pollutants are shown to have a negative effect on the unborn fetus. Ignoring these types of facts is unjust and wrong. What about Massachusetts? Commendable, in 2014, there was an Executive Order requiring that government officials take action promoting environmental justice. The written policy emphasizes that there is a “disproportionate share of environmental burdens experienced by lowerincome people and communities of color who, at the same time, often lack environmental assets in their neighborhoods. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is responsible for the reduction of harmful pollutions on its residents, especially in communities of color and lower income communities. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts maintains a number of programs including air quality solid waste, waterfront, and clean drinking water initiatives among others. In spite of a policy intended to address environmental justice, the reality is that lower-income, Latinos and people of color still must tolerate an unacceptable environmental hazards. All of this while the threat of dramatic changes on the federal level continue. Therefore, Massachusetts must be resolute in its insistence that its government and its citizens resolve this major social justice issue. This guest opinion is one in a series on living in poverty. Dr. Walter Mullin (wmullin@springfieldcollege.edu), Professor of Social Work and Miguel Arce (marce@springfieldcollege.edu), Associate Professor of Social Work at Springfield College
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Opinión / Opinion
El Sol Latino May 2018
A Great Message, But Did Anyone Who Should Have Heard It Hear It? by DAVID YOS | dave@holyoketaxservice.com One could not help but be struck by the irony Wednesday evening when San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz eloquently delivered her message about holding all of our politicians accountable, and about embracing our differences and diversity, to a largely white, and very much liberalestablishment audience. Of course much of this was by design; firstly, the location where the event was held, although this is not in any way to denigrate the good people who own it and work there, exists very much in a socio-economic bubble, with little to no interaction with the surrounding neighborhood, home to so many of the Puerto Rican diaspora. Secondly, the Mayor has been so vilified solely because of her criticism of the administration in Washington that the right cannot hear a word of what she has to say; while this is not to assign blame, it’s undeniable the response to the humanitarian crisis on the island has been, at the governmental level at least, anything but exemplary, so she has every right, and one would say, if she is to be a leader, responsibility, to be outspoken about it. The upshot of all this is our Latino community, with the exception of a couple of smaller groups she visited earlier in the day, failed to hear the Mayor’s uplifting message about self-reliance and, not just getting out to vote, but staying out and forcing those elected to respond: our conservative community continued to fall to understand that, most especially here in Holyoke, that no matter how passionately it may feel it simply doesn’t have the numbers to win, and must seek common ground; and Yulín is perhaps unfortunately relegated to being no more than a tool of the left. “Stand up, or step down,” could probably be considered the Mayor’s slogan; probably no one knows better than this writer that nothing is truly accomplished by bashing, or merely being perceived as doing so, ones opposition, yet that is the very essence of our present politics, as is confirmed by how little, in fact, has been accomplished in recent years. Our so-called leaders today are merely the most adept at riding the opposing waves of fear and resentment. Standing up, on the other hand, is not dependent on what others do, but on what you do; one must leave it up to the people of San Juan to decide if Yulín adheres to her motto in practice, but surely it is one that should be followed. To find inspiration in someone’s words is not to blindly hero-worship, neither should a challenge to one’s sacred cows (if one may still use that expression) be reason to blindly hate; that applies just as much to the left, if not not more so, than as to the right. So often the people worship the most those who oppress them the greatest, without ever knowing it; the political power structure, despite, or actually all the more so with, its great show of confrontation, is more than happy to work together to keep them in the dark, and whenever a little light breaks through is quick to discredit or co-opt it...
WESTERN MASS PUERTO RICAN PARADE DESFILE PUERTORRIQUEÑO DEL OESTE DE MASS
Los Invita / Invite You
A la Parada Puertorriqueña de Nueva York
To the New York Puerto Rican Parade
en reconocimiento a a nuestra parada de Holyoke
in recognition of our parade in Holyoke
Domingo, 10 de Junio de 2018
Sunday, June 10, 2018
La Guagua sale a las 7am
Bus is leaving at 7am
desde las calles Main y Dwight St., Holyoke, MA
from Main & Dwight St., Holyoke, MA
costo $75.00 por persona (incluye camiseta y comida)
Cost $75.00 per person (include food and T-shirt)
Cheques a Nombre:
La Familia Hispana, Inc.
Checks payable to:
La Familia Hispana, Inc.
PO Box 6550 Holyoke MA 01041-6550
PO Box 6550 Holyoke, MA 01041-6550
Más información: DiosdadoLopez@hotmail.com corrozo1@gmail.com
More information: DiosdadoLopez@hotmail.com corrozo1@gmail.com
Jeroton Clown Music, Games, Balloons and Much More... For More information call: Jerry & Brenda 413-557-8273 • 413-210-5458 jero4817@yahoo.com
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Opinión / Opinion
11 NiLP Guest Commenary El Sol Latino May 2018
Recovering Puerto Rico: Lessons from New York City’s Fiscal Crisis by KATHRYN WYLDE The NiLP Report | April 3, 2018 After New York City reached the point of bankruptcy in 1975, a financial control board was imposed as a condition of a bail out that was structured by state and federal governments, unions and financial institutions. For the next thirty-three years, the city had to submit its budget and debt offerings for review and approval by a board composed of state-appointed officials and independent business leaders. By 2008, the factors that led to the city’s fiscal crisis -- economic decline, loss of population, and excessive government spending -- had been reversed and New York emerged with one of the world’s strongest, most vibrant urban economies. This turnaround in the city’s fiscal fortunes was possible because of cooperation and a high degree of trust among leaders of business, labor, civil society and all levels of government. Together, they constructed a recovery and rebuilding process that put the interests of the city first. Partisan politics and sector rivalries were essentially set aside; rigorous accounting standards and procedures were imposed; public accountability and transparency ruled the day. During this period, local government focused its limited resources on improving basic municipal services - police, sanitation, education. The city’s nonprofit sector took on new responsibilities for delivery of human services, community revitalization, and workforce development. Universities, medical centers, civic and cultural institutions became partners in rebuilding neighborhoods, attracting new investment and talent, and developing diverse industries. The business sector played an expanded role in planning and financing of affordable housing, infrastructure, and economic development. Puerto Rico today finds itself in a similar situation to New York City in the 70’s, but with political, fiscal and economic challenges that are substantially larger and more difficult to resolve. The island’s problems are well known -- $72 billion in debt, $50 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, a shrinking population, a sagging economy, electrical power and water utilities that are broken, and police, health and public education services that are underfunded and generally failing. The impact of the hurricanes of 2017 have brought these underlying conditions into dramatic focus and heightened the urgency of addressing them. In New York, state government was the authority under which the fiscal crisis was resolved. The commonwealth government lacks the legal or political status of a state. The island’s government is literally under the thumb of Congress and, thanks to the storms, the Department of Homeland Security as well. A U.S. Judge and federal oversight board are making basic management decisions for the island. The relationship between the Puerto Rican government and the forces that control the island’s destiny is adversarial at best. In March, William Dudley, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, observed that for Puerto Rico to achieve a sustainable economic recovery, everyone will have to give up something; all sectors must do their part. New York emerged from its crisis because every sector did do their part. Partisan voices set aside their ideological biases; unions passed up salary increases and accepted the need for layoffs and downsizing of government; the private sector took extra risks, invested in public priorities that were not their historic focus, and agreed to necessary tax increases. Unfortunately, despite the willingness of most Puerto Ricans to make the same sacrifices for their country, they are not in a position to do so. The commonwealth government’s powers are circumscribed by the U.S. Congress, making it far weaker than a state. For tax purposes, Puerto Rico is treated like a foreign country; for trade, it is a colony at the mercy of U.S. commercial interests; when it comes to federal
aid and entitlement programs, it is a poor step child getting a fraction of the formula funding that goes to states. As Estudias Technicas recently reported, Puerto Rico’s dollar contribution to the U.S. economy is double what it receives back, a balance of payments deficit that has made the island permanently dependent on a largely unresponsive U.S. government. So before Puerto Ricans can come together in a unified effort to save their island, it is the U.S. government that has to give something up. That could start with amending the tax law passed in December, 2017, which treats Puerto Rico as a foreign country when it comes to the 12% tax on many imports produced on the island. It must include relief from the Jones Act that doubles the cost of shipping to and from Puerto Rico. It must adjust Medicaid, SSI, Education, food stamps and other formulas for aid and entitlements to reflect the true costs and levels of poverty on the island. And when it comes to disaster aid, the U.S. government must redirect the 90% of contracts and jobs that are currently going to U.S. mainland contractors to the Puerto Rican businesses and residents that are prepared to fill them. New York State was able to provide fiscal stability for the city and a framework for retiring its debt. The state also relieved the city of some financial obligations, such as funding the public universities. In the case of Puerto Rico, only the federal government can fulfill these functions. Once the federal government does its part, it is appropriate to call upon the people of Puerto Rico to take some tough actions, such as: • Reducing the complexity and increasing the productivity of the government bureaucracy; • Reforming laws and regulations that add to the costs and difficulty of building a business, in order to encourage creation of more private sector jobs; • Calling upon Puerto Rico’s business community to work with government to bring the substantial underground economy into the formal system, in order to better manage economic growth and increase tax revenues. • For universities, NGO’s and the diaspora, it would mean subordinating ideological and political interests to the economic and workforce development needs of the island. Importantly, it would involve support for responsible privatization of government assets and “non-profitization” of government services. The lack of trust among Puerto Ricans for the U.S. government is well deserved and has infected the island culture, making collaboration both within the island and with the mainland very difficult. The handling of the fiscal crisis and the natural disaster have exacerbated the tension. Only forceful action by the U.S. government to demonstrate their respect for the people and institutions of Puerto Rico will set the island on a path to economic recovery and allow Puerto Rico to achieve the measure of selfreliance that it needs to move forward. Kathryn Wylde is President and CEO of the nonprofit Partnership for New York City, the city’s leading business organization. Its mission is to work with government, labor, and the civic sector to build a stronger New York, with a focus on education, infrastructure and the economy. She is a native of Madison, Wisconsin, a graduate of St. Olaf College ‘68, and resides in Brooklyn, New York. Together with her husband, Wilfredo Lugo, she has a home in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, where she serves on several nonprofit boards. She can be reached at kwylde@pfnyc.org.
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Opinión / Opinion
El Sol Latino May 2018
Latinos and the “Of Color” Problem by ANGELO FALCÓN The NiLP Report | April 1, 2018 “People of color,” “minorities,” “communities of color,” and “African descendent” are all terms in common use when referring to non-whites in general. These are aspirational umbrella terms for what is seen as the unification of Blacks, African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians as the “other” in American society. They represent attempts to emphasize the commonalities shared by these groups and the potential power of the aggregation of their numbers. To some, it is the expression of the expansion of a core African-American civil rights struggle within the United States to a broader multi-cultural constituency. To others, this is the logical expression of a dominant process of the racialization of these groups. But despite its supposedly unifying effect, it represents a development that has met with some resentment in much of the Latino community. There is an increasing reaction that these umbrella terms project a false unity and obscure the needs of Latinos and Asians. They are seen as a tactic used by the more dominant African-American leadership to artificially increase their numbers when calming social redress of racist practices. It reinforces a racial-ethnic hierarchy among these “minorities” that is ultimately divisive. Three Examples of the Problem The most offensive use of these broad terms is through overly general data that aggregates these diverse communities. This is the case, for example, with data and statistics on the criminal justice system. In an attempt to address this problem, Ryan King, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center has pointed out that, “Leaving Latinos out when documenting the consequences of the American criminal justice system means our data tells an incomplete story. As a result of that missing, inaccurate, or insufficient data, their voices are absent from the conversation when policy reforms are developed.” The same is the case for much of health policy data as well. Just this past year, LatinoJustice PRLDEF received a major grant to establish a Justice Reform Collaborative whose goals in part would be to change the dominant “black/white binary to include the voices of the Latinx community and its leaders.” The “back/white binary” is another expression of this problem rendering Latino issues largely invisible through the use of these umbrella terms. The frustration within the Latino community is not with the acknowledgment of the historic Black or African-American leadership in the struggle for social justice in the United States, but how “black/white” automatically becomes the default setting when discussing broader civil, social justice and economic issues. Latinos feel not only that their specific community concerns and issues are left out of the conversation, but it results in their being completely ignored despite the fact that the Latino population now outnumbers the non-Latino Black population. One biggest and recurring offender in this regard is the Reverend Jesse Jackson’s Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit. This project has been coming to New York from Chicago every year for 21 years with the goal of promoting business growth among “minorities” and “communities of color” and yet its program is overwhelmingly Black and white in its presenters and focus, despite Operation Push having a Director of Latino Affairs on its staff. Within the Latino community, this project is viewed cynically as not only misrepresenting Latino interests
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but preempting them from essential discussions with major business leaders. If the focus is on the Black community, then why not just state this upfront instead of using these misleading umbrella terms? A more recent and high profile example of this problem is the #OscarsSoWhite issue. While we finally see some serious acknowledgment of Blacks in the film industry this year, this was not the case so much for Latinos. As Latinos protested this with the Oscars and the movie studios, the “black/white” default created much confusion and misunderstanding. Were Latinos resentful of Black progress in Hollywood? Did Latinos see themselves in competition with the Black community for industry attention? Did Latinos not see much Black support for their cause despite having a common agenda? Did anyone understand that an Oscar won a Mexican foreign national was not universally seen in the Latino community as a victory for US-based Latinos? The implication that progress by one segment of the “people of color” formulation does not mean that it is progress for all of them creates problems by the use of broad terms like this. There are many more examples of this problem, but they all result in a sotto voce resentment among Latino leaders and activists that is not healthy. They take their toll in undermining the unity that these “communities of color” so desperately need to promote their mutual social justice agendas, especially in this Age of Trump. Acknowledging the Problem This is, of course, a very sensitive issue and most have thought as a result that it best to sweep it under the proverbial rug. By raising it publicly, it can be seen as a dangerously divisive issue prompting a destructive competition. Others see it as a non-issue because Latinos are really all Black or all white, while there are those in the Black community who feel that such a grievance really shows that, beneath it all, Latinos see themselves more as racially white, misunderstanding the role of colorism in this community. This problem of the use of umbrella pan-ethnic terms also presents similar problems within each of these racial-ethnic groups, as terms like “Latino” and “Hispanic” also can erase national-origin concerns if used improperly. Raising this Latino “people of color” and related problems at all, most seem to feel, opens a Pandora’s Box that should be shut immediately. But by not addressing this problem head-on, one allows it to fester. Perhaps it needs to be addressed by a national summit of Black, Latino and Asian community leaders that discusses how best to do so. Should these leaders stop using these umbrella terms when it is not appropriate to do so? But more importantly, how can the problem of the so-called “black/white binary” be tackled in the way it respects the diversity it ignores and helps build the broader constituency for racial social justice that is needed in the country? This could open the way for a perhaps much-needed resetting of relations between these historicallydiscriminated against communities that can lead to a more useful etymology of this relationship. However, the first step, I submit, is to at least acknowledge that the problem exists at al. Angelo Falcón is President of the National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP). He can be reached at afalcon@latinopolicy.org. The NiLP Report on Latino Policy & Politics is an online information service provided by the National Institute for Latino Policy. For further information, visit www. latinopolicy.org. Send comments to editor@latinopolicy.org.
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Libros / Books
El Sol Latino May 2018
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Más Allá del Invierno de ISABEL ALLENDE • Vintage Español: 2017 | 352 páginas Evelyn: una joven guatemalteca que ve a miembros de su familia ser brutalmente asesinados por la Mara Salvatrucha, “la más feroz de las pandillas,”; quien huye a Estados Unidos y finalmente logra empleo cuidando de un niño con parálisis cerebral; y quien mientras sale en busca de pañales para el niño, descubre a una mujer muerta en el baúl del carro de su patrón, Frank Leroy. Lucía: una chilena quien, al terminar “su vida de refugiada”, llega a ser profesora visitante de la Universidad; quien vive en el sótano del jefe de su departamento y cuyo “deseo de sacar el jugo a la vida se expandía a medida que su futuro se encogía”; y quien “echaba de menos sexo, romance y amor.” Richard: es el dueño del sótano en que vive Lucía y es el jefe del Departamento donde enseña ella; es el que sufre de migrañas cuando sus “demonios ganaban la pelea” de la conciencia torturada por la culpa de haber causado las muertes de su hija y de su esposa que confiesa que “Yo maté a Anita, como maté a Bibi. Soy culpable por borracho, por negligente, por quererlas mucho menos de lo que merecían.”
¿Protagonistas? Ummm. Más bien personajes. Personajes sufridos, golpeados por las circunstancias de sus vidas; pero sí, también protagonistas, porque siguen adelante a pesar de los terribles desafíos que han tenido que afrontar. ¿Sólo estos tres? No. Hay otros que exigen nuestra atención. Está la abuela de Evelyn, Concepción Montoya, quien quedó preñada “cuando la agarraron los soldados en su juventud.” Y Lena Maraz, madre de Lucía, quien buscó a su hijo Enrique durante treinta y cinco años, quien “sería uno más entre aquellos que se esfumaron sin rastro” durante la guerra sucia en Chile. Y el amante de Lucía, “otro exiliado chileno” que “había pasado por la Villa Grimalda, el infame centro de tortura, de donde había salido dañado de cuerpo y alma, y había escapado por peligrosos pasos cordilleranos desde el sur de Chile hasta Argentina, donde se salvó por un pelo de ser otra víctima de la guerra sucia en ese país.” Hay más. Nos damos cuenta de que la novela es más bien la historia triste y sangrienta de muchas partes de la América Latina durante los años setenta y ochenta. Esta novela se refiere a la violencia que experimentaban Guatemala, Honduras, Chile, y la Argentina, violencia
Pero una vez allí, en el Río Grande, como uno entre miles de indocumentados, encuentran aún más desafíos que afrontar. Muchas partes de la novela se caracterizan por trozos de historia y comentarios editoriales. Por ejemplo, como se puede imaginar, mucha gente simplemente desapareció durante esos años caóticos en América Latina. Como se lo explicaron las autoridades a Lena cuando se fue en busca de su hijo, “En la Operación Cóndor, que unía a los servicios de inteligencia y represión de las dictaduras de Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia y Brazil, con un saldo de sesenta mil muertos, a veces se producían confusiones en el tráfico de prisioneros, cuerpos y documentos de identidad.” La novela también critica y condena el papel que hizo los Estados Unidos al meterse en la política de los países de Centroamérica y de América del Sur. Camino a sacar el doctorado, Richard escogió este tema de estudio: Hizo su tesis sobre las maniobras de la oligarquía brasileña y sus aliados, que llevaron a derrocar al carismático presidente izquierdista João Goulart en 1964 y terminar con su modelo político y económico. Goulart fue depuesto por un golpe militar, apoyado por Estados Unidos en el marco de la Doctrina de Seguridad Nacional para combatir el comunismo, como tantos otros gobiernos del continente, antes y después de Brazil. Fue reemplazado por sucesivas dictaduras militares que habrían de durar veintiún años con períodos de represión dura, encarcelamiento de opositores, censura de prensa y de la cultura, tortura y desapariciones. La novela también se dirige al tema de la violencia. Explora los fondos y la atracción de las pandillas cuyas acciones brutales y destructivas aterrorizaban sociedades enteras, aun en partes de los Estados Unidos. La pandilla más atractiva para los jóvenes que buscaban rebelarse contra una sociedad que los condenaba a una vida pobre y sin oportunidades era la Mara Salvatrucha o MS-13. La médica Nuria Castell se lo explica al cura: “Esos pandilleros no nacieron perversos, Benito, alguna vez fueron mocosos inocentes, pero crecieron en la miseria, sin ley, sin héroes que emular.” El
By Mutari - Own work, Public Domain
Son éstos tres, Evelyn, Lucía y Richard, los protagonistas principales de la última novela de Isabel Allende, Más Allá del Invierno.
que hizo huir a miles de sus ciudadanos tras millas y millas de peligros buscando por fin cruzar el río hacia la tierra prometida: Estados Unidos. Piensan los refugiados que allá, más allá del invierno brutal de sus sufrimientos, encontrarán por fin una primavera de esperanzas y oportunidades.
Continued on next page
El Sol Latino May 2018 Libros / Books Island Wildlife: Exiles, Expats and Exotic Others by ROBERT FRIEDMAN • Savant Books & Publications LLC:
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March 2018 | 290 pages • Published by National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP) on April 12, 2018 At a time when Puerto Rico is in a major crisis coming from a massive debt and the devastation caused by two hurricanes, it is nice to think about life there before all this turmoil. Just in time, our good friend and longtime observer of life in Puerto Rico in both real life and fiction, has just published a new novel, Island Wildlife: Exiles, Expats and Exotic Others. And, of course, we at NiLP like to support young writers like Bob. As he describes it, the book is composed of interconnected stories about denizens of a beachfront guesthouse in Puerto Rico, circa 1987. The mostly off-beat characters who pass through the doors of the Solimar Guesthouse are trying to straighten out off-kilter lives; each has a unique story to tell about love, sexuality, survival.” Island Wildlife” looks with a canny, darkly humorous eye at the struggling humanity of its characters, while also exploring the PuertoRico/U.S. relationship, Cuban exile politics, and how the personal and political interrelate.
Bob situates his new work as follows: “Unlike my other novels, which were sparked by real events in Puerto Rico--the Navy bombing of Vieques (The Surrounding Sea), the Americano doctor Rhoads claiming he was killing off his Puerto Rican patients because he was fed up with island life (Shadow of the Fathers), Cerro Maravilla (Caribbean Dreams) --- Island Wildlife is driven by its characters, either fully invented or from real life, but given traits from the writer’s subconscious. “ Robert Friedman was a reporter, columnist and city editor for the San Juan Star in Puerto Rico for more than 20 years, and was the newspaper’s Washington correspondent until it folded in 2009. While in Puerto Rico, he was also a special correspondent for the New York Daily News. Friedman is the author of four published novels about Puerto Rico-The Surrounding Sea, Under a Dark Sun, Shadow of the Fathers and Caribbean Dreams. In his fiction, he has explored the colorful and often struggling lives of island residents who try to cope, both personally and politically, with the highly ambivalent relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Born and bred in the Bronx, New York, he now lives in Silver Spring, Md. He can be reached at friedmanro@gmail.com
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Más Allá del Invierno continued from page 13 cura le contesta que, “Esta violencia es el resultado de una guerra perpetua contra los pobres. Doscientos mil indígenas aniquilados, cincuenta mil desaparecidos, un millón y medio de gente desplazada.” Y añade que el ejército también contribuye a la violencia: “Cumplían órdenes, es cierto, pero las cumplían intoxicados con la droga más adictiva: el poder con impunidad.” Así que Allende no sólo escribe la historia del improbable triángulo de amigos—Richard, Evelyn y Lucía—también escribe la de miles y miles que sufrieron de la pobreza y del poder increíblemente brutal de quienes les gobernaban la vida en la América Latina de los años setenta y ochenta. Y no es una historia de fantasía, de puro invento o de personajes que jamás existieron. Tristemente, la historia de los personajes ficticios es la historia de muchos que cruzan la frontera a Estados Unidos huyendo de peligros o de necesidad en sus propios países y buscando un futuro mejor para sí mismos y para sus familias. Allende logra meter la historia verdadera de aquella época sin distraer al lector de la trama ficticia. Estas partes históricas nos enriquecen la comprensión de la trama personal de los tres personajes principales. Y la historia de la brutalidad y la violencia que mata, que asesina, no es sólo la de un grupo de asesinos, como de la Mara o de los ejércitos durante violentas épocas de guerra. ¿Se acuerda del cuerpo asesinado en el baúl del auto de Frank Leroy?
Por lo general, Allende maneja bastante bien la trama. Lo que puede ser bastante confusa es la cronología de su historia. Los capítulos se nombran por los nombres de los varios personajes y por los lugares en que viven. Pero no se desarrolla la historia de una manera cronológica. Los primeros tres capítulos nos presentan a los personajes principales hoy en día: Lucía: Brooklyn; Richard: Brooklyn; Lucía, Richard, Evelyn: Brooklyn. Pero después se alternan épocas de las historias pasadas de los tres personajes principales en medio de la historia del presente. Y no las presenta necesariamente en orden cronológico. La historia de Evelyn sí sigue una cronología pero va desarrollándose por segmentos intercalados entre capítulos que tratan sobre los otros personajes. Así van también las historias de Richard y de Lucía. A pesar de la manera un poco confusa de desarrollar la trama, la novela nos llama la atención; queremos saber lo que les pasa a los personajes principales y nos enseña de esta época violenta y confusa de América Latina, una época que nos envuelve también a los ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos. Y Allende nos invita a conocer personajes irresistibles de tres dimensiones, quienes nos llaman la atención y cuyos valores nos inspiran. Reseña de Cathleen C. Robinson, profesora jubilada del castellano y de la historia de la América Latina que ahora se dedica a escribir.
Ciencias / Science What is evolution? PART 2 by BRYAN SALAS-SANTIAGO | bryansalas0815@gmail.com The Theory of Evolution proposed by Charles Darwin shows how living organisms change over time and this is evident by looking at the fossil record. However, a more complex question started rising when people tried to understand the mechanism by which these changes took place and how these changes were passed on from generation to generation. In the 20th century, scientists have finally figured out the role that DNA plays in heredity. Thus, a new field of science was created. This new field, called modern genetics, was the single and most powerful tool known so far that put the Theory of Evolution to the test. Fundamentally, every cell in living thing contains DNA. DNA acts as a blueprint for each person’s characteristics. Basically what this means is that everything that makes you human, every trait, is written down in your DNA. We get our DNA from our parents, which is why we might resemble them. However, even though our DNA came from our parents, we receive a unique version of our parents DNA. Every time DNA replicates, mistakes can happen and this is what we call mutations. One type of mutation is silent mutations. These are mutations that will not affect you in any way, either because the change was not drastic or because it happened in a place of little importance. Some other mutations can be harmful, but this occurs when the mutation affects an important biological function, such as cancer. Most cancers happen when a cell in your body gets a mutation that provokes it to grow without control. Occasionally, mutations can lead into beneficial traits. These mutations can help you or any living thing to live better in the environment that surrounds them. An example of this is skin color. The human species traces back to Africa and we know that our ancestors were dark skinned. This is a useful trait because since the sun can be very harmful, darker skin protects us from the sun. After our ancestors left Africa into colder places like Europe, the sun’s rays were no longer a problem, but then Vitamin D production became an issue. Our bodies produce Vitamin D with the help of the sun. When our ancestors went to places where the sun was not as strong, our skin started adjusting into a lighter tone. Since having lighter skin helps to absorb sunlight better, humans with lighter skin lived better in European environments. About 100 years after Darwin proposed the theory of evolution, genetics confirmed the biological mechanism by which it happened. With
El Sol Latino May 2018
modern genetics, everything known for 100 years about evolution was at risk, because theoretically, using genetics we could disprove that characteristics are not hereditary and that organisms don’t change over time. But genetics didn’t contradict the theory and it actually confirmed everything that Darwin proposed in greater detail. To give an example about how genetics was used to confirm evolution, we look at primates. Evolution states that humans share an ancestor with other apes like chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas. All of these apes have 24 pairs of chromosomes, but in comparison, humans only have 23 pairs. This was very problematic because if we share a common ancestor we would expect that we have the same number of chromosomes. Evolution helps make a prediction of what could have happened. We could have lost a chromosome or perhaps two chromosomes fused together to become a new one. Yet, we know that losing a whole chromosome is lethal, so the former hypothesis not a viable option. This suggests that if evolution is right, two chromosomes should have fused and we should still be able to look into the chromosomes and figure out which two chromosomes from apes fused into a new one in humans. We can know find this because chromosomes have specific markers called centromeres (center) and telomeres (edges). If two chromosomes fused, we should be able to find an inactive centromere and inactive telomeres and we found it Human Chromosome #2. This chromosome contains two centromeres, one being inactive, and extra telomeres, confirming our theory of evolution. This is just a small example of how scientific fields like genetics and molecular biology work together to prove the theory of evolution as correct. Evolution is the basis for producing new treatment drugs for diseases, it helps us understand human behavior, medicine, etc. We should embrace the evolutionary theory and learn more about it for the better understanding of our species. All living things in this planet share a common ancestor; we are all related and we can learn from each other.
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