El Sol Latino | November 2025 | 21.12 by El Sol Latino

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper November 2025 Volume 21

Un Periódico Diferente / A Different Kind of Newspaper

Foto del Mes /Photo of the Month

Remembering our November 2012 Edition

Latinx Journalism Matters

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2 Foto del Mes /Photo of the Month Remembering our November 2012 Edition

3 Portada / Front Page

STCC President to Step Down Next Summer after Decade of Leadership

4 STCC President to Step Down Next Summer after Decade of Leadership

5 CENTRO Announces 2025-2026 Fellows and Community Organizations Selected for the Rooted + Relational Initiative

6 Community Foundation of Western Mass apoya iniciativas pro equidad racial y justicia social

7 Opinión / Opinion

The Erratic Discord of Authoritarian Politics

8 I’m running a write-in campaign for the Holyoke School Committee representing Ward 6

11 Libros / Books

I Am My Own Path- Selected Writings of Julia de Burgos

Borícua Muslims - Everyday Cosmopolitanism among Puerto Rican Converts to Islam

12 Flipping My Script

13 Ciencias / Science

21 Años de Descubrimientos que Cambiaron el Mundo, Aquí en Casa

15 Deportes / Sports

Potros - Campeones Springfield OTSL Temporada 2025

16 Fiesta Patio hosts 1st Women’s Beach Volleyball Tournament

Editor Manuel Frau Ramos manuelfrau@gmail.com 413-320-3826

Assistant Editor Ingrid Estrany-Frau

Art Director Tennessee Media Design

Business Address El Sol Latino P.O Box 572 Amherst, MA 01004-0572

Editorial Policy

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.

The 31st Puerto Rico Flag Ceremony in Westfield

The Westfield Puerto Rican Association, Inc. (WEPRA) celebrated its 31st annual ceremony to raise the flag of Puerto Rico on October 5 outside Westfield City Hall. Following the ceremony, a community celebration took place at the YMCA, featuring a delicious lunch from Santiago’s Family Restaurant and live music performed by Cesar Adorno and his group. The City Clerk’s office hosted voter registration, WEPRA’s membership drive, and the distribution of children’s books to families.

Since 1995, the Puerto Rican community has gathered at Westfield City Hall for this important tradition. WEPRA continues to honor this heritage during National Hispanic Heritage Month and pays tribute to the Puerto Rican families who laid the foundation for the Latino community in Westfield during the mid-20th century.

Each year, WSAA and WEPRA honor remarkable individuals from the Puerto Rican community. This year’s honorees were Olga González and Becky Gonz, the mother-daughter duo known as “The Dynamic Duo.”

Olga Nelly González Matos has devoted her life to fostering community connections. As the first Puerto Rican hired by the Westfield city government, she served as the Bilingual Community Liaison from 1970 to 1974 and was involved with Springfield School Department and Girls Inc. of Holyoke, empowering young women. Olga is a proud founder of the Westfield Puerto Rican Festival in 2002 and is actively involved at St. Mary’s Church. She collaborated with her husband, Ramón “Moncho” González, to launch the Westfield Police Cadets program, introducing youth service and leadership opportunities. As a matriarch of a large family, Olga continues to guide and support her family and community.

Rebecca González, known as Becky Gonz, took a different path before opening En3rgy Up Organic Juices & More. With a background as a Teacher’s Aide and a supervisor at University Products, she sought positive changes in her health and lifestyle after a cancer diagnosis. In 2016, she committed to improving her family’s wellbeing, earning certification as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach in 2019. This journey led her to create healthy juices, which she began selling at the Westfield Farmers’ Market before opening her store on Elm Street in early 2024. Becky’s infectious spirit and engagement with the community, including her “413 Coffee Tawk” segment and a weekly walk, have made her a beloved figure in downtown Westfield. Event organizers wish to extend their gratitude to their hosts, Westfield Mayor Michael McCabe and Andrea

Allard, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Westfield. A special thank you to Westfield City Clerk Kaitlyn Bruce and her team for their efforts with voter registration. Additionally, we appreciate the support from our sponsors: The Downtown Westfield Cultural District, Big Y Supermarkets, Mansfield Paper Company, and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Agma Sweeney, Olga González, Becky Gonz, Mayor Michael McCabe and MA Senator John Velis

Agma Sweeney, honorees, members of Westfield Puerto Rican Association and elected officials.

Cesar Adorno and all-star music band

Olga González, Becky Gonz and Mayor Michael McCabe

STCC President to Step Down Next Summer after Decade of Leadership

SPRINGFIELD, MA | SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE

| September 14, 2025 - In an email to employees and colleagues, Springfield Technical Community College President John B. Cook, Ph.D., announced that he will step down next summer, marking ten years of leadership during a dynamic time in higher education. Dr. Cook joined STCC as its sixth president in 2016.

“The way STCC has responded and adapted during these times is a testament to our collective will and talents. We know STCC inhabits the very definition of value in our region by supporting generations of students as they transform their lives” Cook said in his communication.

President Cook has guided the college through a time of significant transformation, including navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, fiscal acumen has translated to the largest reserve funds in college history and STCC has stewarded over $100 million in capital projects and infrastructure investments including the Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence located at Union Station in Springfield. Signature curricular innovation includes a novel Health Science degree with embedded certifications that enrolls over 1,000 students, making it a model across the country for forthcoming revisions to federal “Workforce Pell” student financial aid. STCC also launched an accelerated Nursing program as well as a STEM Studies “meta major,” welcomed Head Start to campus, developed non-credit water distribution and treatment trainings, and hosts the largest set of Early College partnerships for high school students in Western Massachusetts. STCC achieved reaccreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education in 2021, and launched “Momentum,” a new strategic plan, in 2023.

Michael R. Knapik, former State Senator and current Chair of the Springfield Technical Community College Board of Trustees, said:

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I offer our sincere appreciation and thanks to Dr. John Cook as he announces his departure as President of Springfield Technical Community College. John’s nearly 10 years of service to the institution hasculminated in its strengthened financial position, increased focus on innovative programs and partnerships, and extraordinary growth in student enrollment, driven in part, by the Commonwealth’s MassEducate and MassReconnect programs. As STCC prepares for its 60th anniversary, our Board acknowledges the strong leadership of President Cook, his Cabinet, and the faculty and staff who serve our students so well. We are grateful for the time President Cook has allowed for the appointment of his successor. The Board will have more to say on that in the future.”

Starting prior to the Cook presidency, STCC, like many community colleges in the Northeast, contended with substantial enrollment declines. But with the advent of MassReconnect in Fall 2023,

and then MassEducate in Fall 2024, free community college in Massachusetts has meant altering college operations to embrace an unprecedented 50% increase in STCC enrollment. The college now has larger enrollment then when President Cook started, with 6,200 students Fall Semester 2025, and over 10,000 students expected across all credit and workforce/continuing education programs for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Further, embracing the strategic plan outlook of “doing different” as opposed to doing more with less, meeting student need translates to 40% of STCC courses now delivered online, a significant change from pre-pandemic operations. Federally-designated a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in 2015, today Hispanic/Latino enrollment at STCC is 40%; in 2021 the college received two large federal grants totaling over $7 million that brought a renewed focus to STEM programming.

Said Dr. Cook in his communication: “a popular topic, ‘the future of work,’ has been a conversation led by STCC in our educational ecosystem for many years. Together, we continue responding to workforce needs in healthcare, and embrace changes in technology through a multitude of innovative STEM programs…I have been thrilled to lead a college with two middle names.” A resident of Springfield, service for President Cook includes long-tenured board memberships with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, the Economic Development Council of Western Mass and the MassHire Hampden County Workforce Board. He has also been a regular attendee of the Springfield Mason Square C3 community/police forum.

Christopher C. Johnson, current Agawam Mayor and past Board Chair and Trustee when Cook was hired said:

“John Cook has done an outstanding job leading STCC to national prominence as one of the best community colleges in the country. John has shown great vision in leading and enhancing the mission of the only technical community college in Massachusetts. President Cook will be missed.”

Dr. Cook observed how this year marks the 60th anniversary of the Higher Education Act which ushered in the phrase “‘education is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.’” Community colleges like STCC continue to lead national conversations about higher education access and affordability.

Sharing that he is deeply proud to represent STCC, in his message Dr. Cook highlighted changes in STCC student success metrics across a host of student demographics which includes on-time credit accumulation, and completion by Pell-grant students. The college was also awarded $1 million in 2024 by the MassMutual Foundation, the largest philanthropic award in the past 15 years.

Extending his thanks, Dr. Cook shared that “it is an immense honor leading one of the most unique higher education institutions in both Massachusetts and New England.” Looking ahead he offered enthusiasm for STCC-led efforts to bring a quantum supply chain accelerator to Springfield, and for 2027, when STCC will celebrate its 60th birthday. “I know that we are as necessary now as we were in our first year,” while offering that his intent was to provide ample time for succession planning.

El Sol Latino – March 2018

CENTRO Announces 2025-2026 Fellows and Community Organizations

Selected for the Rooted + Relational Initiative

CENTER FOR PUERTO RICAN STUDIES

New York, NY | CENTRO Hunter College| September 4, 2025

The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College (CENTRO) has announced the fellows and community micro-grant recipients selected for the second year of the “Rooted + Relational” research initiative. This year’s theme, “Boricuas in Relation,” invites researchers to explore Boricua archipelagic and diasporic community formation in dialogue with other racial and ethnic groups.

The fellows selected are:

• Adrianna Ríos, Dissertation Fellow

• Alex Sastre-Rivera, Dissertation Fellow

• Dr. Andrés Olán-Vázquez, Research Associate

• Ashley ‘Ash’ Torres Carrasquillo, Hybrid Fellow

• Gianna Elena Brassil, Archives Fellow

• Dr. Janelle Ashley Viera, Hybrid Fellow

• Dr. Katherine Morales, Research Associate

• Dr. Kiana González-Cedeño, Hybrid Fellow

• Dr. Mell Rivera Díaz, Research Associate

• Dr. Michael Staudenmaier, Hybrid Fellow

• Dr. Nichole Margarita Garcia, Hybrid Fellow

• Noelia Quintero Herencia, Artist-in-Residence

• Dr. Sara Awartani, Hybrid Fellow

• Dr. Yeongju Lee, Research Associate

CENTRO has also announced the recipients of its 2025–2026 Rooted + Relational Community Micro-grants. Each grantee will receive up to $5,000 to support their work in community-based arts, history, healing, and cultural practice.

The Community Micro-grants will support the following initiatives:

• El Taller Comunitario Afro–Puertorriqueño y Dominicano de Barrio Obrero – Juan M. Usera-Falcón Santurce, Puerto Rico

• Community Brigade Days – Ceiba Arbor Salem, Connecticut

• Raíces en Tinta: A Boricua Printmaking Journey – Mississippi Latinx Art Association Hattiesburg, Mississippi

• Vieques + St. Croix, in Relation – Archivo Histórico de Vieques Vieques, Puerto Rico

• Diaspora Diaries – Undoing Our Erasure Chicago, Illinois

• Savia: Micro-Residencias de Etnobotánica y Arte – Tabonuco Inc/HASER Inc Jayuya, Puerto Rico

• One Ummah, One Barrio: Alianza Islamica and the Legacy of Muslim Nuyorican Revolution – Maia Villalba New York, New York

• Círculo de la Memoria: Humboldt Park Experiences –9 Millones

San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Hermanas del Agua: Collective Care Workshop Series –Hermanas del Agua Río Piedras, Puerto Rico

• Decolonizing Our Pelvis – BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance Bronx, New York

• Literacy Across Harlem: Building Community Through Literature to Advance Black and Brown Literacy – Total Equity Now Harlem, New York

• De Costa a Costa: Caribbean Social Impact Program Connecting, Sociogeographically Isolated Communities –Saltamontes Network Oakland, California

The “Rooted + Relational” research initiative follows an annual thematic structure, unifying the work across CENTRO, and offering scholarly and cultural programming. This year’s theme showcases that Boricuas have long developed and sustained political, social, kinship, creative, labor, and spiritual practices with multiple communities across the United States and beyond. One example to consider is the multi-generational relationships Puerto Ricans in Hawaii have created with Kānaka Maoli, Filipino, Japanese, Black, and Portuguese communities after over 100 years of colonization and cohabitation. These works examine the experience and impact of migration, language, assimilation, cultural and linguistic resilience, and the connections between Puerto Ricans and other racial and ethnic groups.

“This year’s theme comes at a perfect time for Puerto Ricans everywhere, both on the island and in its diaspora. The culture is already having these discussions on what it means to be Puerto Rican, and the many meanings it takes as it blends with other cultures, relationships, and physical spaces. This cohort of researchers aims to bring a new perspective to these discourses and debates through their multi-media and academic research. I am thrilled that CENTRO will be hosting and leading this group of scholars who are committed to CENTRO’s mission and, most importantly, to the legacy of Puerto Rican culture,” said CENTRO Directora, Dr. Yomaira C. Figueroa-Vásquez.

Throughout the year, fellows will meet weekly at The Center for Puerto Rican Studies for seminars, workshops, and events. Dr. Jillian Baez, Professor of Africana, Puerto Rican, and Latino Studies at Hunter College, will be the CUNY faculty presider for the year, offering mentorship and support for the cohort. The fellowship will culminate in a symposium in Spring 2026, accompanied by an edited volume published by CENTRO Press.

Community Foundation of Western Mass apoya iniciativas pro equidad racial y justicia social

SPRINGFIELD, MA | COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS | Octubre 21, 2025 – En todo el oeste de Massachusetts, organizaciones grandes y pequeñas están ayudando a sus comunidades a abordar conversaciones complejas, ampliar las oportunidades y construir sistemas más equitativos. Para apoyar esta labor continua, la Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts ha anunciado una inversión de $155,000 en subvenciones destinadas a abordar las desigualdades en los condados de Franklin, Hampshire y Hampden. Financiadas por su fondo Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund (RESJ), estas subvenciones se otorgarán a siete organizaciones comunitarias que lideran, organizan, educan, abogan y construyen activamente modelos transformadores para el cambio.

Mientras las organizaciones sin fines de lucro lidian con la incertidumbre causada por los recortes de fondos federales, la inversión brinda un apoyo crucial en un momento en que las organizaciones locales más lo necesitan. Mediante un proceso participativo de concesión de subvenciones, la Fundación Comunitaria no solo dirige los recursos hacia donde pueden tener el mayor impacto, sino que también crea un espacio para la colaboración, el intercambio de ideas y la generación de soluciones por parte de quienes están más cerca de la labor. Este enfoque garantiza que las voces de la comunidad se mantengan en el centro del debate.

“Sabíamos que queríamos utilizar un proceso participativo de concesión de subvenciones para este fondo, donde los propios miembros de la comunidad ayudaran a determinar dónde estos fondos podrían tener el mayor impacto”, dijo Jeffery Markham, Oficial Sénior de Programas de Equidad. “Sus perspectivas reforzaron lo que la Fundación Comunitaria ya sabe: quienes más trabajan en el proyecto entienden mejor las necesidades de sus comunidades. Al compartir el poder de decisión, esperamos fortalecer tanto la confianza como los resultados”.

En marzo, como parte de su compromiso continuo con la equidad, la Fundación Comunitaria reafirmó su compromiso mediante una declaración de equidad actualizada. Cada subvención representa un compromiso tangible con las personas que viven y trabajan en las comunidades a las que sirve, su liderazgo, creatividad y determinación para hacer del oeste de Massachusetts un lugar donde todos puedan prosperar.

“La Fundación Comunitaria tiene una función importante que desempeñar”, dijo Megan Burke, presidenta y directora ejecutiva de la Fundación Comunitaria. “Una función que une a las personas y apoya ideas que fortalecen a las comunidades. Esta inversión reafirma nuestra confianza en los líderes comunitarios y nuestra convicción de que el progreso duradero se logra cuando apoyamos a todos los residentes del Valle para que sean una voz a favor del cambio”.

Las organizaciones que reciben subvenciones de la Iniciativa de Justicia Social y Equidad Racial son:

Our Fire Collective

Con financiación, esta organización de justicia curativa dirigida por mujeres y BIPOC busca apoyar a los educadores y trabajadores de la salud de primera línea, especialmente a las personas de color, que enfrentan traumas en el lugar de trabajo.

International Language Institute (ILI)

Con financiación, ILI busca apoyar su Iniciativa de Liderazgo Estudiantil, que eleva las voces de los inmigrantes y refugiados en nuestra región.

Boys & Girls Club Family Center

Con financiación, Boys & Girls Club Family Center busca apoyar su Programa de Defensa de los Padres, que fortalece el liderazgo y las habilidades de defensa de los padres locales.

Pioneer Valley Workers Center and Neighbor to Neighbor

Con el financiamiento para el Proyecto LUCE, ambas organizaciones desempeñarán roles clave en el avance del liderazgo y la defensa de derechos.

Pa’lante Transformative Justice

Con financiación, Pa’Lante busca contratar personal juvenil para un nuevo proyecto de investigación y acción.

Springfield No One Leaves

Con financiación, Springfield No One Leaves busca ampliar el trabajo por los derechos de los inquilinos y apoyar la creación de nuevos sindicatos de inquilinos en comunidades de todo el Valle.

Para obtener más información sobre el Fondo de Equidad Racial y Justicia Social, o para hacer una donación que respalde un futuro más justo y equitativo para el Valle, visite communityfoundation. org/RESJ.

The Erratic Discord of Authoritarian Politics

Though history may not repeat, it echoes through the discord of authoritarian politics, offering insights about the turmoil in today’s world. Authoritarians convert the justice system to promote and support their political agenda; take over media; and, militarize the law through the deployment of armed forces, both within and outside the country. Authoritarians seek to disable and dismantle democracy to gain control of the government.

Chronicles of the past document numerous examples of such authoritarian (tyrannical, despotic, autocratic) regimes. Investigating far back in the annals of history, we find that authoritarian regimes have strictly controlled and manipulated vast tracts of land inhabited by large groups of people. The land and the numerous inhabitants were used to benefit an entitled few. In Ancient Egypt, the pharaohs were seen as wielding divine rights and so were given carte blanche over their kingdoms. In what became China, the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) suppressed the Confucian scholars to consolidate power. The Roman Empire, with emperors like Augustus, established autocratic rule and used propaganda to strengthen centralized control. In Medieval Europe, the feudal system created rigid hierarchies and the rulers of the kingdoms gladly accepted the cooperation of the Church to ensure religious and social conformity.

Nazi Germany (1933-1945)

In 1933, Adolph Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany. During the next 18 months, Hitler eliminated nearly all sources of opposition, both within the Nazi Party and throughout Germany. By August 1934, he declared himself the sole leader, i.e., the Führer of Germany. In short order, a series of key decrees, legislative acts and case law transformed Germany from a democracy to a dictatorship. Through the implementation of state censorship, the discarding of free speech, the elimination of personal freedom, and the dismantling of the right to free assembly, Hitler did not give the Germans the right to free choice nor any security for likely opposition to his tyranny.

The implementation of a growing propaganda machine, the role of the court system, and the increased militarization of the armed forces, were the products of a paranoid, megalomaniacal leader. He was encouraged and supported by opportunists and racists, and by submissive and servile people who acted to gain personal advantages and to ensure personal safety. The unquestioning followers were encouraged by Hitler toward a rabid nationalism directed against all non-Aryan groups and nations—i.e., through the dissemination of a pseudoscientific myth constructed in the 19th and 20th centuries to promote racism. The tragic outcome of this wrongheaded notion of history and his paranoia were the construction of death camps, wholesale genocide, and World War II.

Brazil (2019-2023)

Jair Bolsonaro is another example of a fascist, right-wing nationalist, law-and-order advocate. Bolsonaro came into office on a wave of populist antiestablishment indignation. Bolsonaro won the 2019 election, but later his supporters attacked federal government buildings after his successor’s—the newly elected president’s— inauguration in 2023. His supporters were spurred on by Bolsonaro questioning the legitimacy of the election. He had the military undertake an investigation of the electronic voting processes

MIGUEL L. ARCE and JOSÉ P. ARCE

employed in the election. While the military’s report found no evidence of malfeasance, he believed it did not rule out the possibility that fraud could have occurred (Reuters, February 15, 2021). Critics declared he was a misogynist, homophobe and a racist. Misusing the justice system, the media, and the military. Democratic systems can sometimes transition into authoritarian regimes. As explained above, historical examples include Germany in the 1930s and Brazil during Bolsonaro’s presidency in 2019. Authoritarian regimes, such as Hitler’s and Bolsonaro’s rule, may appear to solve problems for some citizens but often create dissatisfaction by making promises they fail to keep and enforcing policies that contradict their stated principles, harming public trust.

The Justice System.

Authoritarian governments convert the justice system to accomplish their self-interested agendas. In the authoritarian state, the justice system engages in a witch hunt. It targets (with the full weight of the law) people who speak out against it. The justice system is used to punish those who would challenge the status quo by threatening arrest and by undertaking long, pitched, and expensive court battles against all who dare to oppose authoritarian rule. Behavior, which is not criminal, is attacked by the justice system to stifle dissent, while loyalty is rewarded. Even people previously convicted can be exonerated.

The deterioration of a democracy is often subtle. Legal and procedural maneuvers can gradually weaken democratic norms often incorporating nationalist rhetoric, and breaking government precedents to consolidate power. Moreover, they accuse their opposition of subverting democracy.

The Media.

Authoritarian governments convert the media to accomplish their hidden agendas. The despotic rulers dismantle reasonable democratic guidelines for the media. Legacy media like Public Broadcast Services (PBS) are threatened with the loss of licenses. The threats against large broadcasters extend to crack downs on rallies and public demonstrations. The big lie is that the press is providing disinformation, i.e., “fake news” to the public.

Consider the manner in which Bolsonaro and his team systematically used bad information as a central part of a strategy to achieve power. While that devious practice was denounced in Brazil’s mainstream media, he maintained the backing of a majority of Brazilians, and most media outlets. He relied heavily on social media, and his most potent weapon was his WhatsApp account.

The Military.

Authoritarian governments transform the military to accomplish their selfish-designs. They direct the military to suppress the probable impact of free speech. They create a “war” on what they claim is the enemy within. Such corrupt politicians seek to use the military and other strong men to maintain their grip on partisan and social order. They encourage violence against anyone who might signal disagreement. Not only are individuals threatened, colleges, cities and states must submit to the broad and effectively limitless power of the government to level all autonomy, which previously had been allowed—indeed, promoted—as a legal and political right. continued on next page

Opinión / Opinion

The Erratic Discord of Authoritarian Politics continued from page 7

Bolsonaro’s push for increased policing extended beyond his government appointments. He championed aggressive policing tactics that encouraged excessive force, particularly in Brazil’s marginalized communities. His increased militarization of policing was part of a broader strategy to consolidate power. Bolsonaro bypassed traditional oversight by appointing loyalists to key law enforcement positions. This allowed him to influence police conduct and ensure loyalty within the force. Through the militarization of government roles and the endorsement of militarized policing, Bolsonaro blurred the lines between military and civilian spheres, leveraged nationalist rhetoric to deepen polarization, and disrupted democratic norms. His militarization of government roles and escalated policing demonstrated how a democracy can erode from within.

A healthy democracy responds to despotism

Based on military enforcement and the manipulation of religious belief and practices, despotic rule was legitimized. Enhancing and transcending all other political structures in their sphere, authoritarianism could claim to function as an effective scheme of universal order. Consequently, because of the aforementioned confusion about authoritarianism, democracy must have a robust response against the tyrannical agendas of dangerous and undemocratic groups within its citizenry.

In How Democracies Die, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt explore the gradual erosion of democratic norms and institutions, emphasizing that democracies often collapse from within through violence. They argue that democracies are more likely to die through a gradual, insidious process from within. Authoritarians

I’m

running a write-in campaign for the Holyoke School Committee representing Ward 6 by

CHRISTIAN CARDE

Hello Holyoke, my name is Christian Carde, and I’m running a write-in campaign for the Holyoke School Committee representing Ward 6. I decided to run because I believe Holyoke’s students deserve schools that are innovative, inclusive, and accountable to the community. Not systems stuck in the old ways that once failed and put us on receivership.

Throughout my career, I’ve worked in social services, education, and technology, helping to improve family lives, support educators, and create environments where both students and teachers can thrive. My professional journey has taught me the importance of adaptability, collaboration, and above all, authenticity—being genuine and transparent in how we lead, listen, and make decisions. Authenticity builds trust, and trust is what our schools need most right now.

As a technology advocate, I believe in the power of innovation to open new doors for students. Technology, when used wisely, can expand access to learning, engage families, and help prepare students for the challenges of tomorrow. But I also believe that technology should complement—not replace—the human connections that make education meaningful. Teachers, staff, and families are at the heart of every successful school, and they deserve the tools and respect needed to do their best work.

seek to undermine democratic institutions and norms through power, often using legal means to do so. In contrast, Levitsky and Ziblatt stress the importance of mutual toleration and forbearance. Gene Sharp, a prominent theorist on nonviolent action cataloged 198 actions without violence in his work, The Politics of Nonviolent Action. Together —Levitsky and Ziblatt in accord with Sharp— recognize the legitimacy of participants, no matter their affiliations in the political process. Exercising restraint does not exclude public speeches, leafleting and distributing pamphlets, organizing marches, demonstrations, boycotts, and other manners of noncooperation, i.e., non-violent interventions. These actions should be normalized and be defended as essential for a vigorous democracy.

Democracies do not remain democracies without the participation of vigilant citizens in the political proceedings of their nation. Expressions of non-violent dissent are essential to a healthy democracy, and therefore must not be discouraged or suppressed. We, the people, and thus the citizenry, rarely agree as to why and how we should peacefully participate in the governance of our country. However, we all must be mindful of the absolute right to support the history and values of our constitution through our support or disagreement of current executive, judicial and/or congressional decisions and actions. We have the basic right in a functioning democracy to express our individual and collective voices free from any and all intimidation or threats. We must demand that the representatives we place in office actively support our essential needs, basic rights, and reasonable demands. We must forcefully reject all forms of authoritarianism.

I am also deeply committed to an inclusive curriculum that celebrates the diverse identities, languages, and cultures that make Holyoke unique. Our students should see themselves reflected in what they learn. Education should not only prepare them academically but also help them build pride in who they are and confidence in what they can become.

I’m running because I believe it’s time for new leadership and new ideas. Holyoke’s receivership was not the fault of our students or teachers; it was the result of poor administration, lack of accountability, and too many decisions made through favors instead of fairness and transparency. We cannot continue doing things the same way and expect better results. It’s time for a fresh approach grounded in equity, collaboration, innovation, and integrity.

If elected, my priorities will focus on improving student success through equitable opportunities, ensuring transparency and open communication with the community, and empowering teachers with modern resources, better working conditions, and professional development. Holyoke’s students have unlimited potential, and our schools should reflect that promise.

I’m running to move Holyoke forward TODAY, toward a school system rooted in authenticity, progress, and community pride.”

Un día cualquiera

por JOSÉ EDGARDO CRUZ FIGUEROA

Era un día cualquiera. No había ginebra en la casa. De hecho, no había licor de ninguna clase, ni siquiera un vinito barato. Su madre no lo aprobaba. Desde que se había convertido a la religión Protestante en su casa no había música ni baile. En la radio solo escuchaba la prédica evangélica y solo las canciones que alababan al Señor. El televisor estaba prendido hablando solo.

La conversión de su mamá había sido poco después de jubilarse. Anteriormente bailaba y le gustaba entretener gente. Arturo recordaba los discos de Sarita Montiel, de Lucho Gatica y Fernando Álvarez. Esa música era una mera curiosidad pues en esa época lo que a él le gustaba eran los Beatles y los Rolling Stones. Ella no entendía nada pero tampoco le molestaban los gritos de She Loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, el arrullo sutil de I wanna hold your hand, o la queja de I can’t get no satisfaction. Qué mucho tiempo había pasado. Su hermano estaba muerto hacían años. Todo el mundo lo quería pero nadie visitaba su tumba. Cuando su padre murió Arturo no sintió nada. La pérdida de su abuela Josefa fue otra cosa y la muerte de su tía Palmira fue una desgracia. De todas sus tías era la mejor y la que se fue más temprano. No es que las otras fueran malas, no. Es que Palmira era única y no era justo que la vida se le fuera antes de vivirla en su totalidad. La justicia hay que lucharla porque la vida no te la regala y aun así nunca hay garantía de que puedas lograrla. Cuando despertó el café estaba listo. Abrió la caja del panettone Goya con cuidado para no hacer mucho ruido. Le echó un poco de agua al jugo de guanábana que su madre había preparado y lo batió delicadamente. El vaso era de plástico así que al mover la cuchara no hubo el tintineo de cristal que podía interrumpirle el sueño.

Mientras desayunaba leía. Hasta la fecha había leído veinticinco de los cuentos de una antología, o 301 de sus 693 páginas, es decir, más de una tercera parte, lo cual no era nada comparado con la creación de una nueva vacuna en tiempo récord o con la resistencia feroz de un país pequeño invadido por otro país con pretensiones de imperio. Obviamente cuando se quejaba del desorden obsesivocompulsivo de su madre predicaba la moral en calzoncillos: ¿quién si no un afligido llevaba cuentas de esa clase? También era claro que a veces se le iba la mano con las analogías.

Su hermana lo llamó mientras preparaba una de sus clases y tuvo que hacerla esperar. Cuando estaba listo para hablar escuchó al cartero anunciando su llegada. Eso le estuvo raro y pensó que como era época navideña a lo mejor esperaba que uno saliera para darle una propina. Pero no, como el carro estaba en la entrada de la marquesina él asumió que había alguien en la casa y llamó, no para pedir propina con los ojos, sino para que le dieran la firma que requería el paquete en sus manos. Esto Arturo no lo sabía así que abrió la puerta decidido a hacerse el loco si había una espectativa de propina y respiró aliviado cuando supo que no iba a terminar con reputación de tacaño.

Su hermana necesitaba un favor. ¿Puedes ir a la farmacia a recoger unas medicinas y luego enviármelas Federal Express? Era una tarea fácil aunque para ejecutarla había que guiar setecientas millas hasta llegar a detrás del aeropuerto, pasados los terrenos de la Base Muñiz, donde prácticamente uno ponía el paquete directamente en el avión. Le cobraron un dineral después de decirle que garantizaban

la llegada del paquete a su destino veinticuatro horas más tarde pero solo si al avión no le fallaba algo y si el tiempo cooperaba. Arturo dijo que eso no era ninguna garantía pensando que la usual razón para no garantizar un envío era “actos de Dios”, pero en FedEx a Dios no lo mencionaron y Arturo no dijo lo que pensaba. Regresó a casa de su madre dando brincos en el carro, con la cabeza girando como la de los muñecos que la tienen atada a un resorte, a causa de la multitud de chichones que arropaban el pavimento. Durante el trayecto disfrutó la música del Combo del Ayer, la voz diáfana de Pellín Rodríguez, el campaneo preciso de Roberto Roena y la payasada de Martín Quiñones, desafinando a propósito y cambiando de tono para emitir un chillido bien agudo mientras cantaba “Irremediablemente solo”. Su versión hacia difícil creer que era una composición de Bobby Capó. El carro era el único sitio donde podía escuchar música y eso significaba que lo hacía de forma quebrantada, como el que ve una serie sin tener la oportunidad de tirarse todos los episodios de un cantazo. Eso solo era un problema mayor cuando escuchaba el disco de su amiga Marta González, una pianista cubana de primera, pues es difícil recobrar la continuidad cuando uno interrumpe la ejecución de una composición de Ginastera para entrar a una tienda a comprar un pantalón. Ese día no tuvo ese problema pues escuchaba a la Corporación Latina y a Roberto y su Nuevo Montuno. Si apagaba el carro en medio de un montuno o un mambo, al regresar era fácil reconocer la parte y seguir cantando o tarareando las moñas que había dejado a mediasto.

Como a eso de las seis y media cambió una bombilla a petición de su madre despues de que se quejó de que estaba parpadeando. A lo mejor está suelta, le dijo Arturo y ella hizo una mueca. Apretó la bombilla y seguía parpadeando. Se le ocurrió que quizás un espíritu prisionero intentaba enviar un mensaje en código Morse. No le dijo eso a su madre pues de seguro ella lo habría mirado como si le hubiese explicado la fórmula química del calcio. Sacó la bombilla para reemplazarla y la oscuridad en la marquesina fue total. Ya la noche se había apoderado del terreno cedido por la tarde. Luego de poner la bombilla nueva se sentó tranquilo en la mesa del comedor a pensar en lo que haría mañana.

Era un día cualquiera y había llegado a su fin. Enfrente suyo un enjambre de imágenes se desenredaban poco a poco, como un suero. Los contrastes de luz producían un pulso de colores que podía matar a un epiléptico. Mientras alguien hablaba, otro escuchaba, asintiendo en partes y en otras simplemente mirando fijamente hacia el frente con una sonrisa. Era una mezcla de ocurrencias, algunas trágicas, otras positivas.

Se enteró de la muerte de un esquizofrénico, arrollado por un auto cuando cruzaba una calle oscura. Le dijeron que la secretaria de una agencia de asuntos familiares había renunciado al verse incapaz de resolver más de diez mil quejas de maltrato de niños y luego vio cuando le ponían las esposas a un hombre que le había pegado un tiro en la cara a su mujer durante una disputa.

En el festival de las máscaras de Hatillo lo que pasaba por cultura era un despliegue chabacano de gente brincando en la calle o colgando de carrozas pintadas con esprey, portando disfraces de colores estridentes, comprados en Walmart. No paró de reírse al saber que mientras en Estados Unidos el bizcocho de frutas era, en continued on next page

el mejor de los casos, una broma, un pedazo de piedra confeccionado que se podía usar como pisapapeles o aguantapuertas y en el peor de los casos era un epíteto para describir a un homosexual, en la isla, en los noticieros le dedicaban segmentos para alabarlo y presentarlo como una delicia típica de las Navidades.

En Naranjito una pareja había decidido pasar un día entero regalándole hot dogs y Coca Cola a gente necesitada porque además de la familia uno tiene que ayudar a los demás. En otro festival auspiciado por un artista millonario que portaba una capucha de esquiar amarilla de lana que le cubría la cabeza y la mayor parte de la cara en medio de un calor de ochenta y pico de grados, una muchedumbre de niños se había amanecido haciendo una fila larguísima para recibir regalos tan simples como una bola de baloncesto o una muñeca. El artista parece que creía estar en Minnesota en la peor parte del invierno, resguardándose de una temperatura bajo cero. Arturo pensó que quizás estaba en París en octubre del 1924.

Su día cualquiera había sido un berenjenal de contrastes transformado en fábula. Con cada giro el día se le había engomado más y más hasta arroparlo por completo con una capa viscoza de colores turbios y dejarlo hipnotizado. Salió de su trance cuando escuchó que los Cangrejeros de Santurce le habían dado una pela a los Leones de Ponce. Eso le dio alegría. El televisor siguió hablando sin preocuparse si alguien lo escuchaba y en la nota feliz de la victoria de su equipo Arturo decidió apagarlo.

JOSÉ EDGARDO CRUZ FIGUEROA (cruzjose5319@gmail.com) es natural de San Juan y criado en El Fanguito y Barrio Obrero en Santurce, Puerto Rico. Es profesor emérito de ciencias políticas en la Universidad del Estado de Nueva York en Albany

JOSÉ EDGARDO CRUZ ‰FIGUEROA

I Am My Own Path - Selected Writings of Julia de Burgos

Edited by VANESSA PÉREZ-ROSARIO • AUSTIN, TX | UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PRESS

DESCRIPTION

Julia de Burgos (1914–1953) is best known for her poetry, but she is also an important cultural figure famous for her commitment to social justice, feminist ideas, and the independence of Puerto Rico. Admirers cultivated her legacy to bring to light the real Julia de Burgos, the woman behind the public figure, which this remarkable collection further illuminates by supplying a complex portrait using her own powerful and imaginative words.

Beginning with a critical introduction to Burgos’s life and work, Vanessa Pérez-Rosario then presents a selection of poems, essays, and letters, that offer a glimpse into this formidable talent and intellect. Burgos left Puerto Rico, spending the 1940s in both New York City and Havana, where she cultivated a new kind of identity refracted through her pathbreaking work as a poet and journalist. Both poetry and prose are alive with politically charged insights into the struggle of national liberation, literary creation, and being a woman in a patriarchal society. I Am My Own Path is essential reading for anyone interested in Puerto Rican literature and culture as well as a foundational text of Latinx literature and culture in the United States.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

VANESSA PÉREZ-ROSARIO is a translator and a professor at the City University of New York, and the managing editor of Small Axe, a project devoted to Caribbean cultural criticism. She is the author of

| October 2025 | 440 pages

Becoming Julia de Burgos: The Making of a Puerto Rican Icon, which is also available in Spanish.

PRAISE

How grateful I am that nuestra Julia de Burgos, writer, feminist, social activist, can now become more fully accessible to monolingual English readers. With this comprehensive critical introduction to her life and work, nuestra Julia becomes a Julia for all of America. A treasure trove for those who did not know of her work or want to know more.— Julia Alvarez, author of The Cemetery of Untold Stories

Everyone should rush out immediately and get a copy of this dazzling, monumental translation of Julia de Burgos’s extraordinary writing. The work of Burgos is graced by a strikingly brilliant rendering by some of today’s most inspired and inspiring literary translators, many of whom are themselves celebrated writers. I Am My Own Path is a treasure trove, a lighthouse, and essential reading for anyone interested in poetry, poetics, Puerto Rican letters, or the literature of the Americas. This vital volume is a historical event not to be missed! — Rachel Galvin, author of Uterotopia: Poems

Borícua Muslims - Everyday Cosmopolitanism among Puerto Rican Converts to Islam

by KEN CHITWOOD * AUSTIN, TX | UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PRESS

DESCRIPTION

Among Puerto Rican converts to Islam, marginalization is a fact of daily life. Their “authenticity” is questioned by other Muslims and by fellow Borícua on the island and in the United States. At the same time, they exist under the shadow of US colonization and as Muslims in the context of American empire. To be a Puerto Rican Muslim, then, is to negotiate identity at numerous intersections of diversity and difference. Drawing on years of ethnographic research and more than a hundred interviews conducted in Puerto Rico, New York, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, and online, Ken Chitwood tells the story of Puerto Rican Muslims as they construct a shared sense of peoplehood through everyday practices. Borícua Muslims thus provides a study of cosmopolitanism not as a political ideal but as a mundane social reality—a reality that complicates scholarly and public conversations about race, ethnicity, and religion in the Americas. Expanding the geography of global Islam and recasting the relationship between religion and Puerto Rican culture, Borícua Muslims is an insightful reckoning with the manifold entanglements of identity amid latemodern globalization.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KEN CHITWOOD is a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer with the Department for the Study of Religion at Universität Bayreuth and Affiliate of the University of Southern California’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture.

| October, 2025 | 300 pages

PRAISE

Borícua Muslims is a timely and groundbreaking study of Latinx Islamidad and the growing number of Puerto Rican Muslims in the Caribbean and the United States. Ken Chitwood brings his multilingual talents in cultural studies, ethnography, and journalism to bear in this expansive and joyful exploration of how AmeRícan Muslims negotiate their island lives, transnational migrant encounters, and cosmopolitan community belongings in the global Muslim ummah.

~ Aliyah Khan, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, author of Far from Mecca: Globalizing the Muslim Caribbean

This expansive and powerful book sheds light on the everyday lives of AmeRícan Muslims by tracing their experiences, border crossings, and identities from Newark to Bayamón to Houston. Borícua Muslims is intellectually rich, well written, and full of incredible stories that offer a compelling look at the varied and complex intersections of American religion, global Islamic studies, and Latinx Muslims. ~ Felipe Hinojosa, Baylor University, coeditor of Faith and Power: Latino Religious Politics Since 1945

Flipping My Script by

ADRIAN ALVARADO

Montreal, QC - CANADA | SPHERE MEDIA PRODUCTION S LLC | September 15, 2025 | 258 pages

DESCRIPTION

Flipping My Script is my journey—a deeply personal memoir that chronicles my struggle with assimilation, the hardships of poverty, and the battle against stereotypes. It’s a story of finding my identity in two contrasting worlds, one offering opportunities and the other rich with culture and love.

Throughout this memoir, I invite you to walk with me through the most pivotal moments of my life, from the early days of family struggles to the dreams of Hollywood. This journey is not just about the origins of my career, but about the profound losses, the triumphs, and the unwavering spirit that kept me going. Join me in this exploration of identity, resilience, and the power of dreams. Flipping My Script is more than a memoir—it’s a testament to the strength it takes to redefine your path and embrace your true self.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ADRIAN ALVARADO is an accomplished television and film actor with notable roles on ABC’s longest-running daytime soap opera General Hospital as Detective Cruz Rodriguez, as well as appearances on Law & Order SVU, Marvel’s The Punisher, and feature films like Rogue Hostage, Slay, and Men In Black International. Beyond the screen, Adrian has ventured into the literary world with his debut memoir, Flipping My Script, where he delves into his journey through family, culture, and his Hollywood dreams. Fluent in Spanish and deeply engaged with his heritage, his work often explores themes of identity and human connection. Adrian lives in Connecticut with his wife and two children, where he continues to advocate for the arts and diverse voices in media.

REVIEWS

“I encourage you to read Adrian Alvarado’s beautiful story. As a Latino man, I understand the pressure to be tough and the stigma against showing weakness, but also the strong sense of loyalty. Adrián, please keep sharing these important stories that shine a light on our Latinx narrative in America.” —Maurice Benard, Emmywinning actor and bestselling author

Adrian Alvarado at Holyoke Public Library: “Flipping my Script”.

On Saturday, October 11, 2025, actor and author Adrián Alvarado led a conversation and book signing event titled “Flipping My Script.” This event was part of the Holyoke Public Library’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations. The program featured selected readings, an engaging discussion on the Puerto Rican diaspora, an audience Q&A session, and a book signing. In his memoir, *Flipping My Script*, Adrián shares his journey from Jersey City to Hollywood, weaving together stories of growing up Puerto Rican in the 1980s, as well as themes of migration, identity, and resilience. The program will showcase selected readings, a thoughtful conversation on the Puerto Rican diaspora, an audience Q&A, and a book signing opportunity.

Ciencias / Science

21 Años de Descubrimientos que Cambiaron el Mundo, Aquí en Casa

por JESSICA CABALLERO-FELICIANO, Ph.D. Neuroscientist and Science Communicator

Este año nuestro querido periódico cumple 21 años de ser parte de la historia de Nueva Inglaterra y del mundo. El mundo en el que vivimos era muy distinto hace 21 años. En este tiempo hemos visto cambios en nuestra jerga, política, moda, música, etc. Pero donde hemos visto los cambios más significativos ha sido en la ciencia. A lo largo de nuestra historia hemos tenido avances científicos que han expandido grandemente el conocimiento humano sobre nuestro cuerpo, el mundo, y el universo. Estos avances son el motor principal del progreso humano. Cambian activamente cómo tratamos las enfermedades, cómo entendemos el universo y cómo vivimos nuestro día a día. Interesantemente, Massachusetts ha sido y sigue siendo uno de los epicentros mundiales más importantes para el avance científico y tecnológico.

A continuación, revisaremos algunos ejemplos de los avances más impactantes que han salido de nuestras instituciones locales en los últimos 21 años, demostrando que el futuro se está escribiendo en nuestra propia comunidad.

En el campo de las ciencias biológicas, el avance más grande es sin duda CRISPR. Imagina a CRISPR como unas “tijeras moleculares” que pueden cortar, eliminar, e insertar genes a una cadena de ADN. Científicos en el Broad Institute del Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) y Harvard fueron los primeros en adaptar esta herramienta para “editar” el ADN humano. Lo que antes sonaba como ciencia ficción, hoy día es real y se está usando en estudios clínicos para tratamientos de cáncer, enfermedades autoinmunes, enfermedades cardiovasculares, y en el 2023 se aprobó para tratar la enfermedad de células falciformes (sickle cell anemia).

En la neurociencia, MIT nos dio una herramienta verdaderamente revolucionaria llamada optogenética. Esta herramienta literalmente nos permite controlar neuronas (las células del cerebro) con luz. Para hacer esto, se inserta un gen sensible a la luz llamado opsina (originalmente encontrado en algas) en las neuronas deseadas. Estas neuronas “leen” el nuevo gen y comienzan a producir la proteína opsina, lo que las vuelve sensibles a la luz. Luego se inserta una fibra óptica muy delgada para iluminar esa área del cerebro. El pulso de luz activa o desactiva instantáneamente solo las neuronas modificadas, permitiendo un control preciso de la actividad neuronal. Esta tecnología cambió fundamentalmente al campo de la neurociencia. Antes de la optogenética, estudiábamos al cerebro por medio de observaciones pasivas. Esta tecnología nos dió control directo para manipular a las neuronas y así poder hacer experimentos que antes eran imposibles. La optogenética es ahora utilizada en laboratorios alrededor del mundo para estudiar desde la memoria y el aprendizaje hasta enfermedades como el párkinson, la epilepsia y la depresión. En la actualidad, hay varios estudios clínicos usando optogenética para devolver la vista a pacientes con retinitis pigmentosa.

Otro gran logro fue la tecnología que nos permitió recibir la vacuna contra el COVID-19. La pandemia del COVID-19 nos familiarizó con las vacunas de ARNm (mRNA). El mayor desafío al crear esas vacunas era conseguir cómo insertar el ARNm a nuestras células. Gracias a la ingeniería en el MIT, crearon una tecnología con “burbujas” de grasa microscópicas (nanopartículas lipídicas) que protegen el ARNm y lo transporta de forma segura. Estas burbujas encapsulan el ARNm y lo protegen para que no sea degradado al entrar en contacto con nuestra sangre. Ya en nuestra sangre, estas nanopartículas lipídicas entran en contacto con las células de nuestro sistema inmune. Las células inmunes absorben las nanopartículas lipídicas por medio de un proceso llamado endocitosis. Ya al entrar, se le es posible descargar el contenido de la vacuna ARNm en el citoplasma de la célula, permitiendo que la molécula del ARNm haga su función como vacuna, y la nanopartícula lipídica es degradada y eliminada por nuestro propio cuerpo sin problema. Sin esta ingeniería, esas vacunas que han protegido millones de vidas no habría sido posible. Massachusetts también se ha hecho sentir en la química. De seguro uno de nuestros logros está en la sala de su casa ahora mismo. ¿Has oído hablar de los televisores QLED? La “Q” viene de “quantum dots” (puntos cuánticos). El Premio Nobel de Química del 2023 fue otorgado a un profesor, también del MIT, por descubrir cómo crear estos diminutos cristales, tan pequeños que su color cambia con su tamaño. Desde el 1980 se hablaba de la teoría de los puntos cuánticos, pero nadie lograba crearlo. Fué en Massachusetts que se logró transformar una curiosidad teórica a una tecnología tangible y útil. Hoy día, además de usarlo en los televisores QLED, también se usa en la medicina para etiquetar moléculas y/o células y rastrear su movimiento en tiempo real. También se usa en luces LED y en la futura generación de paneles solares. En la astronomía, fuimos testigos de lo imposible. En el 2019, una colaboración mundial dirigida por el Centro de Astrofísica HarvardSmithsonian y el MIT nos dio la primera foto real de un agujero negro. Para lograr esto, utilizaron el “Event Horizon Telescope”, que es un telescopio virtual que combina la señal de ocho radiotelescopios alrededor del mundo, incluyendo Chile, Hawaii, Arizona, México, España, Francia, y el Polo Sur. Al combinar la señal de estos radiotelescopios, el Event Horizon Telescope se convirtió en un telescopio virtual del tamaño del planeta Tierra. En Abril del 2017, cada telescopio se sincronizó y apuntaron al M87* al mismo tiempo. El M87* es un agujero negro supermasivo localizado en el centro de la galaxia Messier 87, a una distancia de 55 millones de años luz del planeta Tierra. Toda la data recaudada por esta red de telescopios fue grabada en discos duros y transportados a una supercomputadora donde unieron toda la data para crear una imagen unificada. Esa imagen borrosa de un anillo naranja no era

continued on next page

Ciencias / Science

21 Años de Descubrimientos que Cambiaron el Mundo, Aquí en Casa

solo una foto; era la prueba visual de que las teorías de relatividad general de Einstein, publicadas en 1915, eran correctas. Un logro que asombró al planeta.

Primera imagen en la historia de un agujero negro en la galaxia M87. Crédito: wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_87

Volviendo a nuestro planeta, es aquí donde aprendimos información que nos ha ayudado a entender mejor el cambio climático en los océanos. Durante décadas, se consideraba al océano como un “sumidero de carbono”, absorbiendo más CO2 del que libera;

Un podcast sobre la historia del archipiélago de Puerto Rico y el Caribe

Conversaciones con expertos sobre el tema y personalidades de interés.

Con el historiador público Ramón A. González-Arango López.

¡Nuevo episodio todos los jueves!

¡Comparte y disfrútalo!

continued from page 7

absorbiendo aproximadamente una cuarta parte del CO2 emitido por los humanos. Sin embargo, durante el período del 2004-2009, investigadores de la Institución Oceanográfica de Woods Hole en Cape Cod, fueron pioneros en identificar que esta absorción conlleva un costo: la acidificación de los océanos. Demostraron que el CO2, al disolverse en el mar, se vuelve ácido carbónico, disminuyendo el pH del océano, volviéndolo más acídico. Este proceso también disminuye la cantidad de carbonato en los océanos, que es el principal componente de las conchas y los esqueletos marinos. Como consecuencia, amenaza toda la cadena alimenticia. Este descubrimiento cambió fundamentalmente la manera en la que, hoy día, entendemos el ciclo del carbono y las consecuencias de nuestras emisiones. La acidificación de los océanos se ha establecido como una amenaza principal y concurrente al cambio climático y es la base de muchas políticas ambientales; ya que al saber que este problema existe, podemos crear soluciones.

En estos 21 años, El Sol Latino ha sido nuestro hogar para noticias e historias. En ese mismo tiempo, nuestra comunidad de Nueva Inglaterra ha sido el hogar de la ciencia que ha definido nuestro futuro. En este artículo pudimos repasar solo unos pocos de los muchos avances icónicos y significativos hechos en Nueva Inglaterra.

¡Feliz aniversario, El Sol Latino!

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