NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE Issue 3 September 2010 Message from the National President Vivian Ortiz As we say goodbye to this summer season it is our sincere hope that we all enjoyed it with our family and friends. I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation for your support. One of our goals continues to be to promote and preserve our Puerto Rican culture, our history, traditions, connect or reconnect with our roots and preserve the Spanish language. We continue to achieve this by participating in meetings and other scheduled activities related to culture, art, music, education, community service as well as social functions. It is through these activities that we can educate and develop leadership among Puerto Rican women; provide role models for our youth and our community; collaborate and network with other organizations locally and nationally, and encourage the formation of other chapters of NACOPRW in other communities. We encourage all members to attend. For further information please visit our National website www.nacoprw.org. Vivian Ortiz, President
Hispanic Heritage Month: September 15-October 15, 2010 President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed National Hispanic Heritage Week for the first time in September of 1968 and the week was expanded in 1988 by Congress to a month so that we could more properly celebrate our traditions. The estimated Hispanic population as of last year stood at 48.4 million, making Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority. The 4 million residents of Puerto Rico make us nearly 53 million and the fastest growing group among the diverse people of the nation. It is projected that by 2050, the Hispanic population will stand at 132.8 million, or 30% of the U.S. population. The percentage of children younger than 5 was 26% and younger than 18, 22%. In 2009 there were 107 male Hispanics per 100 females, as opposed to the ratio between the overall population of 97 males per 100 females. Sixteen states had at least a half million Hispanic residents: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Educational attainment was 62% high school; 13% bachelor’s degrees (3.7 million) and less than a million, graduate degrees; 69% over 16 years old were in the labor force. Reporting voting were 9.7 million and having served our country are 1.1 million veterans. Garcia was the most common surname, followed by Rodriguez, Martinez and Hernandez. NACOPRW Conference Nov. 12-14 in MiamiThe 37th Annual National Conference of Puerto Rican Women Convention will be held November 12-14, 2010 in Miami, Florida at the Hilton Hotel at the airport. The theme is Fostering Leadership: Engaging the Next Generation of Women Leaders. Honorary Conference Chair is Dr. Alicia Baro, Founder of our Miami Chapter and two-time National President, who has dedicated her life to ensuring the rights of Hispanics, women, and other minorities in political representation, education and employment. The Convention will be an action-packed, fun-filled weekend. It starts off with a welcome reception Friday night, with a speaker from either the Governor’s office or the Mayor’s office, along with 75 cancioneros who will lead us in a sing-a-long and trivia game prepared by Nydia Cabrera. On Saturday morning, our confirmed breakfast speaker is Commissioner Luz Urbaez Weinberg, an expert in Health and Childhood Obesity. We have invited Sara Manzano Diaz, Director of the Women’s Bureau of the Department of Labor in Washington, D.C to be our Key Note Speaker. Some of our workshops will feature the Honorable Immigration Judge Liliana Torreh Bayouth discussing Legal Careers; Soraya Rivera Moya, Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House, South Fla, on Fundraising; Staying Afloat, and a Personal Finance Workshop. You won’t want to miss the Saturday night Awards Dinner Dance as well. A local journalist will be our emcee. ********************************** A Poem by Iris Violeta Colón-Torres, No Cruces el Puente Antes de Llegar El control de tu vida lo tienes tú Se sincera contigo y con los demás, Todo momento es oportuno, Recuerda hermana, sigue adelante ******************************* The Advocacy Corner NACOPRW has been very busy weighing in on a number of pieces of legislation that are important to us as Hispanics and as women. CEDAW, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CEDAW is a landmark international agreement that affirms principles of fundamental human rights and equality for women around the world. It provides the United States an opportunity to be a global leader in standing up for the rights of women and girls in countries around the world. Ratifying the CEDAW treaty would continue America’s proud bipartisan tradition of promoting and protecting human rights. In order for CEDAW to be considered on the floor of the Senate, it must first be voted on in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Although currently Democrats have a majority in the Committee, without Republican support there is little hope of garnering the 67 votes the CEDAW ratification needs when it does reach the floor of the Senate. NACOPRW has been collaborating with the CEDAW National Task Force which is comprised of over 100 national organizations all committed to U.S. ratification of the CEDAW Treaty. It is led by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and co-chaired by the YWCA, Citizens for Global Solutions, the ACLU and the National Women’s Law Center. You can get more information by visiting www.cedaw2010.org. Title IX Celebrates Its 38th Anniversary On June 23 Title IX of the Education Amendments celebrated 38 years having been credited for the dramatic increases in the participation of women and girls in math, science, engineering and athletic programs. NACOPRW has supported Title IX over the years and continues to support a federal interagency group coordinated by the Justice Department (with representatives of NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the Departments of Energy and Education that have recently been discussing effective strategies for Title IX compliance reviews of STEM programs at higher education institutions that get federal funds hoping these strategies can include collecting best practices. Much remains to be done as WEEA, the Women’s Educational Equity Act, needs to be reauthorized as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (referred to as No Child Left Behind). Since 1987 WEAA has received less than $4 million annually even though it had been authorized as much as $80 million in the ‘80s. NACOPRW co-signed a letter with many women’s organizations to support increased funding for the implementation of gender equity strategies that can build action networks at national, state, and local levels, can support development, evaluation and use of model gender equity programs, including six national Gender Equity collaboratives, and improve the Department of Education’s leadership by creating an Office of Gender Equity, similar to the Women’s Bureau in the Department of Labor.
National Museum of the American Latino Commission Holds Public Forum In Puerto Rico The 23-member federal Commission hosted a Public Forum in San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 11, 2010 to seek input for the creation of the potential Museum of the American Latino. The Commission is scheduled to render a report to Congress in September of this year. Chapter News Indiana
Philadelphia Chapter Calendar April 30th – Continuing our Workshop Series held an Educational forum “ Un Poco de Historia y Poesía – Por Iris Violeta Colón-Torres” at the Orlando Quevedo Gallery in Philadelphia. Iris contributed a bit of history on Puerto Rico and read poetry that inspired her by La Isla del Encanto. May 6th Hosted a Meet and Greet forum for Sara Manzano-Diaz, Director Women's Bureau U.S. Department of Labor where Mrs. Diaz addressed our local community and a number of young ladies from the local high schools detailing her emphasis, goals and vision for the next three years at the Women’s Bureau.
May 8th Annual Volunteerism and the Philadelphia Affiliate Susan G. Komen Mother’s Day Race for the Cure May 21 Participated in Hostos ASPIRA Club’s 8th Annual Career Day – Mentoring June 5 Wreath Presentation at the
June 4 -6 National Board Quarterly
The NACOPRW Northern Illinois chapter hosted the NACOPRW National Quarterly Meeting from June 4-6, 2010 at the Embassy Suites O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont, IL. Our President, Vilma Colom, secured sponsorships to host activities including a Welcome Reception honoring Trailblazers in our community, with free appetizers, cash bar, and a D.J., as well as an Italian buffet luncheon on Saturday exclusively sponsored by the AARP, during which we honored individuals with wisdom who have made a difference in our community. In addition, five of our members attended the meetings of all chapters where important NACOPRW work was conducted, including planning for our National Convention in Miami. Vilma Colom was elected National First Vice-President in order to assist with fundraising, planning and preparations for the Convention in November. The incredible women (and one man) who were honored and received framed Certificates of Appreciation at a Friday night reception and Saturday’s luncheon included Arabel Alva Rosales, Chair, IL Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Eddie Reyes, Cook County Commissioner, 8th District; Edna Otero, Union Leader, Chicago Teachers Union; Maria Pesqueira, President/CEO, Mujeres Latinas En Accion; Marilyn Martinez, Superintendent, Cook County Corrections; Martha Ramos, Community Activist; Milly Santiago, Latino Community Media Liaison, Governor's Office; Carmen Diaz, Leader and Senior Activities Coordinator of the Chicago Puerto Rican Parade Committee; Haydee Garcia, Community Activist and Businesswoman; and Sonia Varela, Hispanic Representative for Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. We applaud these honorees and thank them all for their tireless efforts to advance the Hispanic community.
SoCAL Chapter Latinas in Orange County are 26% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage than Non-Hispanic white women.
How to Maintain Cardiovascular Health! To get on a cardiovascular-healthy path, set reasonable goals and take small steps: DIET: Breakfast is good for your cardiovascular system. Besides making you more alert, providing essential nutrients, and fending off hunger, breakfast can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.
EXERCISE: Before or after your healthy breakfast, take a 20-30 minute walk. It’s easy for women to skip physical activity at the end of a long work day; so try to make a morning walk part of your routine for a healthy cardiovascular system. Besides increasing energy, reducing stress, strengthening bones and muscles and improving overall fitness, walking can lower your risk of type-2 diabetes and heart disease. SOCIAL SUPPORT: Get a buddy to walk with you in the morning before work. You are more likely to stick to your routine if you have a friend or family member support you. You can also join a walking club in your area. It’s more fun to walk and talk with someone. Dorita DeLemos wanted to share this with NACOPRW De Aqui Y De Alla Antonia Pantoja is the subject of an inspirational and useful documentary for Puerto Rican scholars and activists and those concerned with social justice struggles announced the President of the Puerto Rican Studies Association, Gladys M. Jimenez-Munoz. Antonia Pantoja (1922-2002) visionary Puerto Rican educator, activist, proponent of bilingual education inspired multiple generations. She founded ASPIRA, Universidad Boricua and was awarded the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Clinton. To get a copy contact Women Make Movies Educate, educate@VVMM.com. Latina/Chicana Women Balancing Life Issues and Activism Film. Five activists: Dolores Huerta, Martha Cotera, Cherrie Moraga, Alicia Escalante and Elizabeth “Betita” Martinez, describes how these single mothers managed to be parents and effect social change at the same time. Contact http://www.wmm.com/filmcatalog/pages/c771.shtml. Pura Belpre Tribute in New York
A revolutionary writer, thinker, feminist and activist Julia wrote more than 200 poems on love, feminism and political and personal freedom. She combines the intimate with the personal and speaks powerfully to women, minorities, the poor and the dispossessed, urging them to defy constricting social conventions and find their own true selves. Julia, we salute you. Creating A Feminist Language United Nations Creates UN Women National Council of La Raza denounces the conditions under which Puerto Rican children are more likely to fail pointing to the nine out of ten indicators revealed by the 2010 Kids Count Data Book of the Annie E. Casey Foundation where the Puerto Rican children face higher levels of risk overall. The child poverty rate for Puerto Rico is 56%, more than 3 times more than in the U.S. (18%) and more than half (51%) live in families where no parent has full time, year-round employment, or nearly twice the national rate of 27%.
Puerto Rican Women Suffer One of the World’s Worst Rates of Intimate-Partner Violence Advocates indicate inadequate funding for women’s rights policies and weak political support for the implementation of the law are the culprits but they criticize particularly the Office of the Women’s Advocate, created in 2001 to establish public policies with a gender perspective. The Women’s Commission of the Puerto Rico Bar Association urged the Women’s Advocate, Yvonne Feliciano, to fight to reinstate the cut funds when the budget was restricted in 2009.The staff was reduced from 56 to 34 and its $8 M budget is now $6.7. The Reina Sofia Center, an international research center on violence in Valencia, Spain, published a report this year that indicates a Puerto Rican woman is more likely to be killed by an intimate partner than women in 35 of the countries surveyed. There were 6 femicides in June alone this year with a total of 15 thus far this year. Last year there were 17. The Movimiento Amplio de Mujeres de Puerto Rico, a rights coalition, denounced the government for not doing more to confront the issue. NACOPRW should do something about this at our conference. NACOPRW Board of Directors Vivian Ortiz, National President
Presidents/Delegates: Deborah Lopez, President, Chicago Wanda Gordils, President, Indiana Lucy del Valle, President, Miami Vilma Colom, President, Northern Illinois Maria Teresa Centeno,President,NY Manhattan Vivian Ortiz, President, Philadelphia Darma Paden, President, Socal Anna M. Rosario, President, D.C. Metro Sonia Collazo, President, Tampa |
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