NUESTRAS VOCES - MAY 2024

NUESTRAS VOCES

PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE AND RIGHTS THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND LEADERSHIP FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

WHO WE ARE

NACOPRW is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization seeking to promote the full participation of Puerto Rican and other Hispanic women in the social, economic and political life in the United States. The Southern California Chapter (SoCal) achieves this by educating, developing leadership among Puerto Rican women and providing role models for our youth and our community

NACOPRW-SoCal celebrates what unites all of us: our love and respect for Puerto Rico, its traditions and people

BOARD MEMBERS:

GLORIA SAN MIGUEL, MBA, PRESIDENT

MARJORIE PATTON, MS, CPC, ELI-MP 1ST VICE PRES.

NILSA J. THORSOS, PH.D., 2ND VICE PRESIDENT

SONIA COLÓN-LAMAS, BA, AFIP, TREASURER

MARIE NUBIA FELICIANO, PH D , SECRETARY

For more information about our chapter, membership or donations visit us at:

Editorial - Entre Nosotras

onia Colón-Lamas Milly C. Lugo-Ríos

You would think that with the successful year we enjoyed in 2023, we would not expect to do better but we are excited to let you know that NACOPRW SoCal continues with endless opportunities to promote cultural pride, education, personal and professional development, and social responsibility in our communities in 2024!

We kicked off the year with a remarkable meeting where our 2023 dedicated and hard-working Board Members agreed to continue serving in their respective capacities in 2024

During the meeting, our President, Gloria San Miguel, asked everyone about their individual “Superpower” As we went around the table and listened to our members’ stories, we laughed, we cried, but mostly we were impressed with their talents, fascinating, and diverse backgrounds We were awestricken by our member’s abilities, motivation, and incredible interest in the success of NACOPRW in 2024 To meet our expectations, we started with the basics funding All members agreed that membership dues should be collected once a year during March This small administrative change simplifies the process and allows us to dedicate more time to pursuing our organization’s goals

In 2024, we will move forward with our traditional events beginning with our Second Annual Domino Tournament on July 27th, and of course our not-to-be-missed “Coquito Fundraiser”

In the area of education, we continue NACOPRW SoCal’s awesome Scholarship Program Please go to our webpage nacoprwsocalorg for details Share this information with your family, friends, and co-workers Not just to recruit qualified candidates but also to encourage additional donations for our Scholarship Fund This program is close to our hearts as we have witnessed the growth and success of many Latina students We encourage all members to contribute with their time in promoting this program

Ladies, Save The Date! The next annual NACOPRW Convention is going to be held in Puerto Rico on November 8-10, 2024 We will keep you informed of all details as we receive it from our National Board

We would be remiss if we did not once again thank our members for their generous contributions The talent, energy, and determination of our members are priceless and guarantee a successful NACOPRW SoCal! 2024!

Since the moment María joined our Chapter in 2023 she has been very active with the Scholarship and Events Committees. Thank you for all your help and support!

Calling all boricua chefs

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

maria quezada

By Sonia Colón-Lamas

Dr María Socorro Quezada has been a tireless warrior for the betterment of bilingual education in California for the last 30 plus years Dr Quezada obtained a PhD from the University of Southern California in 1992 in Educational Policy, Planning, and Administration, which she complemented with a supplementary emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction and Linguistics She has provided leadership in education and received several recognitions for her unconditional commitment to and work in bilingual education, such as Bilingual Administrator of the Year and LULAC Outstanding Hispanic Educator of the Year In addition, she has been recognized for her outstanding leadership by the Los Angeles County Bilingual Directors Association One of her proudest achievements was serving for 12 years as the Chief Executive Officer for the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), having served as its State President some years prior during a difficult period for bilingual education in California After retiring, Dr Quezada continued her support to education at CABE She remained part-time as the project director for the Investing in Innovation (i3) grant for five years It was called Project 2Inspire CABE’s Family Engagement Program She is currently working on a book on family engagement in schools NACOPRW SoCal’s Nuestras Voces is very fortunate and proud to highlight this amazing and proud Mexicana as an associate member of our organization

Thank you, María, for all your help in the 2023 Scholarship Program and your continued support of our activities, especially on our 25th Anniversary celebration We appreciate you!

Interested in joining NACOPRW-SoCal? Go to www nacoprwsocal org/membership and complete & send us your application to nacoprwsocal98@gmail com

EL FOGÓN

BORICUA

byDr.AnaidaColónMuñizandDr.NilsaThorsos

Calling all boricua chefs

Memorias de Nuestros Platos Favoritos

For the longest time, las comadres at NACOPRW SoCal have been discussing putting together a recipe book for our favorite dishes We all have memories tied to these recipes and have started documenting some of them in our EL FOGÓN section of Nuestras Voces and featuring some in our workshops Past food-making workshops included sofrito, mofongo, sangria, pasteles, and our signature coquito, which also helps us raise scholarship money each year So, in a recent Nuestras Voces meeting, we decided to start more purposely collecting our memories that are tied to our favorite Puerto Rican meals for El Fogón If we get a great response, we might even be able to “publish” our very own book, “Memorias de Nuestros Platos Favoritos ” We will continue to publish the recipes we receive, first as individual articles, but we then plan to collectively bring these ideal recipes and memories into a beautiful book We haven’t decided yet if it will be electronic, paper, or both But we hope it can help us reach out to educate others and seek more support for our scholarship and other programs We ask that you copy the following template and copy it onto an email or document where you can submit it to our editorial at: nacoprwsocal98@google com

Template Sample

Name of Dish (inSpanishwithEnglishDescription)

Memory: Write a paragraph or two about why this dish is important to you and how it reminds you of Puerto Rico a family member a friend,oranexperiencerelatedtobeingPuertoRican Ingredients-writtenwithclearmeasurements(cup,tsp,tbsp,pinch, etc)

Example: 4tbsps ofoliveoil

2lbs ofpotatoes-peeledandcutintoone-inchchunksandsetaside 1medium-sizedonionslicedintothinroundpieces

3garlicclovespeeledandcutintoverysmallpieces

1lb ofchoppedbeef-defrostedandsprinkledwithadobo

Procedure: Step-by-step procedures for cutting, mixing, and cooking (frying,baking,grilling,etc)

Example: Sauté the onion and garlic in two tbsps of the olive oil until soft and fragrant(about3minutes) Addthechoppedbeef

Picture/s -Ifpossible,includetwohigh-resolutionphotos Onephoto should be of your recipe that is being prepared (or a finished product),andoneyourmemory(aperson,aplace,anexperience)

Nuestras Voces-NACOPRW-SOCAL

IN MEMORIAM: CHITA RIVERA (1933-2024)

byDr.AnaidaColónMuñiz

On January 30th, 2024, in New York City, we lost one of the most versatile, talented, and iconic Puerto Rican performers, Chita Rivera, at 91 years of age, whose father was Puerto Rican The critic, Michael Kuchwara, once deemed her “ a force of nature ” Chita was born as Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero on January 23, 1933, in Washington, DC From a chorus girl in the early 1950s, she rose to stardom with her impressive dance talent, strong voice, and outstanding acting She was a trailblazer who opened doors for other Latinas, allowing them to enter the Broadway stage By 1957, she played Anita on Broadway’s “West Side Story,” bringing Puerto Rican rhythm and dance to New York audiences through her impressive moves Rita Moreno later also played that role in the hit movie made from the musical, which earned Ms Moreno an Oscar Both are Puerto Rican, and sometimes people confused them, although they look nothing alike This sometimes upset them both because of the subtle racism they both often encountered in their work She starred in other Broadway shows including, "Bye Bye Birdie," "Guys and Dolls," "Chicago" and "Kiss of the Spider Woman " Ultimately, Chita was honored with 10 Tony nominations and won two, one in 1984 Tony for “The Rink,” and one in 1993 for “Kiss of a Spider Woman ” During her stellar life, she received many accolades and recognitions In 2002, she was the first Latina to receive the Kennedy Center Honor, and in 2009, Obama awarded Ms Rivera the Presidential Medal of Freedom She was the marshal at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City in 2013 and was still performing on Broadway in 2015 Finally, in 2018, she was given the Tony Lifetime Achievement Award at age 85 Her first love was to perform, which she did for over 70 years! We are proud of the great Chita Rivera and know she is resting in power

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! UPCOMING EVENTS

2024

Friday, 5/31/24 - Deadline for NACOPRW SoCal 2024 Scholarship Applications

6/18 through 7/16/24 - Scholarship Committee meetings

Saturday, 7/27/24 - 2nd Annual Domino Tournament, 2-7pm at the Norman P. Murray Community and Seniour Center, Mission Viejo

Saturday, 11/2/24 - Coquito making and fundraising event (location to be announced)

Friday, 11/8, thru Sunday, 11/10/24 - NACOPRW National Convention in Puerto Rico

Chita Rivera, 2018 Tony Awards Photo, LA Times

Chita Rivera as the iconic Anita in West Side Story

2024 NACOPRW SOCAL INSTALLATION AND MEMBER MEETING ¡WEPA!

by Gloria San Miguel

On Saturday, March 16th, 2024, members of the Southern California Chapter met for our first Member Meeting and Board Installation The event took place at the Norman P Murray Senior Center in Mission Viejo

The meeting started with the 2024 Board Installation The elected 2024 Board consists of Gloria San Miguel, President; Marjorie Patton, First Vice-President; Nilsa J Thorsos, Second Vice-President; Marie Nubia-Feliciano, Secretary; and Sonia Colón-Lamas, Treasurer Past President, Anaida Colón-Muñiz, swore-in the new board and the “Guanín” was received by the 2024 president in remembrance of the Taino symbol of leadership

After a delicious coffee break, we moved to the Member Meeting We had great member turnout, with 23 attendees! After discussing our 2024 events calendar and goals we asked our participants two questions: “what do you like about NACOPRW SoCal?, and, ”what is your superpower?” Each member took a turn to share their stories as well as memories from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the U S As the stories unfolded, we became closer, and by the end of the event we were saying “hasta pronto” to new “hermanas ”

Thank you to all the members who drove from afar to be with us That is what NACOPRW is about Creating connections and being inspired by other women to continue giving forward “Pa’lante muchachas ”

Thetransitionofthe Guanínnecklace(right)isachaptertraditionas eachyearthenewlyelectedpresidentreceivesitfromtheprevious president,representingthetransferofpower TheCacicaYuisa (depictedonleft)isthefirstdocumentedfemaleleaderintheTaíno cultureandagreatinspirationtoourChapter

NACOPRW SOCAL VISTIST MOLAA IN LONG BEACH

by Gloria San Miguel

On Saturday, April 27, 2024, a group of our chapter visited the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach MOLAA’s mission is to expand knowledge and appreciation of modern and contemporary Latin American and Latino art through its Collections, exhibitions, educational programs and cultural events

Our group was comprised of 15 members, families, and friends, who were guided by two great museum docents through various exhibitions: Argentinean Paola Vega: The Mystery of Painting; Cuban Alexandre Arrechea: Intersected Horizons; Brazilian Andrey Guaianá Zignnatto: Vermelho: Como a Brasa (Vermillion Like Embers); and Mexican Alejandra Phelts: Cross-Border Women All of these artists presented stories of beauty, social consciousness, and solidarity When the tour concluded, we were all inspired by the ideas and creativity that these artists shared with us through their work Thank you to Solimar Salas and Jhocely Corrales for organizing this event for us and to the docents who guided us, Adalin Torres and Edith Torres For more information about MOLAA go to https://molaa org

After the museum a group of us went to Cafe Sevilla in downtown Long Beach to enjoy delicious tapas and sangria The perfect closing for a day full of art, good friends and great food ¡Salud!

Turisteando por Puerto Rico

LA RUTA Taina

by Dr Anaida Colón-Muñiz

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

BY

As an undergraduate, I studied anthropology and archeology, fascinated by the Indigenous cultures of the Americas, especially Puerto Rico Puerto Ricans have recently documented Taíno heritage by DNA testing, despite the fact that we knew or at least suspected that we carry those genes in our blood, with undeniable traces in our facial features and mannerisms At the very least, we have significant vestiges of these important pre–Columbian people in our culture, evidenced in our language, our foods, geographical names, locations, and customs We also know ourselves as Boricuas, which comes from “Borikén”, our original Island’s name, now pronounced Borinquen Early settlers from Spain and other European cultures, as well as Africans, Jews, Muslims, and Asians adopted important Taíno cultural traits and passed them on to us Poor Jíbaros from the interior mountainous regions, in particular, borrowed their techniques to survive, such as building their bohíos with local material, and clearing a space in front of their homes (batey), cooking “ a la barbacoa”, and sleeping in hamacas, or hammocks Currently, there is a movement in Puerto Rico and other Caribbean Islands by those who claim Taíno ancestry to defy the commonly accepted notion that Taínos no longer exist They are archiving and using Taíno language terms and traditions and practicing religious and cultural rites of the Taíno I, myself, know of a compelling family story told to me by my grandfather, Andrés Muñiz, about our ancestral Taína grandmother, who was captured by Spaniards and held captive until the captor’s son took her as his wife It is sadly a common story, as most early explorers travelled without women And whether through violent or more passive means, the Taíno male or Y chromosome was quickly eliminated from our DNA pool while the X or female chromosome was continued through this process of intermarriage or exogamy The fact is that the majority of Taínos were enslaved, some were shipped to Spain as exotic evidence of the so-called discoveries, while most died of diseases and physical abuse

However, somewhere along the way over 60% of Puerto Ricans have between 10 and 15% of their matrilineal DNA identified as Indigenous, and recent studies verify it as Taíno Our heritage is revealed in the names of towns, like of the caciques who oversaw their yucayeques The name Utuado comes from the Cacique Otoao, near the Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park This is the most important Taíno site in the Antilles, built around 1200 AD We can see large, inscribed stones, known as petroglyphs, encircling round and rectangular bateyes, which the Taínos aligned to their calendar and the solar system Other caciques had names that also resonate in our ears, such as Humacao, Morovis, Agüeybaná, Guayama, Hayuya (Jayuya), and Yuisa (Loíza)

Caciques ruled throughout the Island leaving impressive markers referring to their religious beliefs and their culture They inscribed petroglyphs almost eight hundred years ago and we can see them today in remaining ceremonial plazas, or bateyes, where they celebrated areytos- religious rituals, and where they played batú (a ball game like soccer) These were no regular sports, however The Taíno made important political decisions based on the batú, including when to battle with their enemies Petroglyphs were also discovered by water ways, where Taínos fished and caves where they sheltered Another location the Centro Ceremonial Indígena Tibes de Ponce, and more recently, near Mayagüez, there is the Parque Arqueológico Batey Delfín del Yagüez

Around the region of Coamo, indigenous objects, such as cemíes, or figures representing their gods, conch shells, and crafts were discovered near the Cuyón y Coamo Rivers because the Taínos relied on both sweet and salt water for bathing, food, and to transport themselves If you travel to Puerto Rico today, you can follow the ruta Taína, like member Dr Ana Jiménez ventured recently on her last trip to find evidence left by our Taíno ancestors The stunning pictures Ana took speak for themselves And, aside from the name of my article, Discover Puerto Rico has actually developed a “Taíno Route”, which is an informational tour that outlines Taíno archeology and culture in Puerto Rico Starting at the north of the island, from La Cueva del Indio in Arecibo through to Jayuya and Piedra Escrita in Rio Saliente, and the Museo del Cemi, thereby visiting ceremonial parks, tombs, caves, and the Taíno petroglyphs Don’t miss visiting these important places that inform our history and culture in your next visit to Borinquen or our Taino Borikén!

References and Resources

Yucayeque en Yagüez https://www mayaguezsabeamango com/lo-nuestro/batey-delfin-del-yagueez Discover Puerto Rico: La Ruta Taina https://www discoverpuertorico com/es/articulo/la-ruta-taina-y-la-cultura-indigena-en-puerto-rico Histopedia de Puerto Rico https //www histopediadepuertorico com/post/religi%C3%B3n-de-los-indios-ta%C3%ADnos-el-batey Origins and genetic legacies of the Caribbean Taino https://www pnas org/doi/10 1073/pnas 1716839115

Parque Ceremonial de Caguana, Utuado taken from Discover Puerto Rico

Member Ana Jiménez in front of the Museo El Cemí in Jayuya

Left: Monumento al Cacique en Jayuya, right: detail Photos courtesy of Ana Jimenéz

EL RINCóN DEL COQUÍ:

PUERTO RICAN MAUI ASSOCIATION UPDATE

By Nicole Hernández

Last year, we all heard about the devastating fires that took place in Maui in 2023 This January, our SoCal Chapter made a donation to the Maui Puerto Rican Association’s (MPRA) relief fund, as they were seeking support Their president, Debra Francis, sent us an update on their recovery efforts They have received 23 assistance applications, with $7,000 having been disbursed and five are pending Three applicants are awaiting processing Locally, they can get food, clothing, and household goods through a service for fire victims, and soon they will get help with furniture aid and housing transitions Deb expressed optimism about upcoming donations During MPRA's March meeting, their board acknowledged the generous $500 donation from the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, SoCal for fire victims Debbie was happy to share a photo of Rayleen and one of the recipients of the association's funds To highlight the impact of our Maui recovery fund, we learned that Rayleen's family was facing eviction from a hotel in Lahaina, but their home was not yet clean or renovated Our donation of $500 in aid enabled them to purchase new windows If you wish to learn more about Maui Puerto Rican Association, or to make a direct donation, go to their website at https://wwwmauipuertoricanassociationorg/

Cumbre Internacional Afro-Descendencia 2024

by Dr Nilsa J Thorsos

The International Afro descendance Summit, called Cumbre Afro, was held from March 18 to 23 at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras The topic was “Our Everyday Diasporas: Globalization, Migration, and Displacement Today” The summit spotlighted Haiti as a trailblazer in the fight against discrimination Boricua Professor Mayra Santos Febres, Cuban singer Daymé Arocena, and US Journalist Natasha F Alford, were part of this inclusive program The conference was open to the public and included book presentations, anti-racism workshops, art exhibitions, and dynamic discussions in well-represented panels The summit was part of Eradication of Racism and Affirmation of Afro-Descent Week, highlighting Puerto Rico’s ongoing commitment to promoting diversity and equality For more information on this summit and/or to view the events go to: https://cumbreafrocom/ https://wwwyoutubecom/watch?v=OmX6PozmovM

2024 NACOPRW SoCal SCHOLARSHIP UPDATE

by Marjorie Patton

This Scholarship Season it's shaping up to be an exciting one! We kicked off the 2024 season on April 16th with a thorough review of the application and rating criteria, incorporating valuable feedback from last year ' s wrap-up session with the committee

The official opening of the season was on April 22nd, and it's in full swing until May 31st! If you ' re keen to get involved in this important process, we'd love to have you on board Make sure to email me at mp@marjoriepattoncom to receive the committee’s invites Committee meetings are scheduled to start from June 18th through July 16th Be sure to mark your calendars accordingly you won't want to miss out on the action!

For more information and the application form go to our website at https://wwwnacoprwsocalorg

”

Congratulations NACOPRW SoCal’s 2024 Graduates!

This year, our dear member, Nilsa M Smith, graduated from American College of Education with a Master’s Degree in chemistry She did this while keeping a full-time teaching position and while caring for her family You are an inspiration to young Latina women who wonder if of all this can be done successfully You have proven that: “¡Sí se puede!”

We are happy to announce that Cinthya Gomez, one of our scholarship recipients, who graduated with honors from Chapman University, Fowler School of Law in May 2023, passed the California Bar Exam the first time with high scores California has the most difficult Bar Exam in the USA and only half of the students pass it the first time In addition, she has been hired by a prestigious Law Firm in Orange County

Congratulations Nilsita and Cinthya! Your NACOPRW family is very proud of you and wishes you continued success.

Moving Away! Wishing a lot of success to our member Luz Nieves Colón, who is moving with her family this summer to Florida Thank you so much for all your help during 2023 and 2024 Hope to continue collaborating from a distance ¡Buena Suerte!

Meet our Newsletter Team:

This publication is another testimonial of how Nuestras Voces continues to capture our NACOPRW journey and our vision towards 2024. Many thanks to our Newsletter team for their commitment to providing articles and keeping our members abreast of our planned activities for this new year. We aim to continue to share and celebrate our culture and “superpowers” as Puerto Ricans

Nilsa J Thorsos Committee Chair

Nicole Hernández Contributor

Milly C Lugo-Ríos Contributor

Marjorie Patton Contributor

Sonia Colón-Lamas Contributor

Gloria San Miguel Contributor

Anaida Colón Muñiz Copy Editor