Puertorriqueño...de alma, vida y corazón COMITÉ NOVIEMBRE...mes de la herencia puertorriqueña Puerto Rican Heritage Month | 2010 Calendar & Gala Journal COMITÉ NOVIEMBRE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND IS SINCEREST GRATITUDE TO THE SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS OF PUERTO RICAN HERITAGE MONTH 2010 CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK NEILSEN MEDIA RESEARCH 1199 SEIU WOLF POPPER, LLP UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS LEHMAN COLLEGE COLGATE PALMOLIVE NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE PUERTO RICO CONVENTION BUREAU CON EDISON ST. BARNABAS MEDICAL CENTER BRONX LEBANON HOSPITAL CENTER GOYA FOODS, INC. CENTRO DE SALUD COMUNAL DR. JOSÉ S. BELAVAL, INC. NBC4/TELEMUNDO NYU LANGONE MEDICAL CENER BRONX COMMUNITY COLLEGE RCHN COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION INSTITUTE FOR THE PUERTO RICAN/HISPANIC ELDERLY HEALTH PRO MED ASPIRA OF NEW YORK CY SOLUTIONS MEMBER AGENCIES INSTITUTE FOR THE PUERTO RICAN/HISPANIC ELDERLY ASPIRA OF NEW YORK EL CENTRO DE ESTUDIOS PUERTORRIQUEÑOS EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO EL PUENTE EUGENIO MARÍA DE HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE LATINOJUSTICE – PRLDEF NATIONAL CONGRESS FOR PUERTO RICAN RIGHTS - JUSTICE COMMITTEE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LATINO POLICY PUERTO RICO FEDERAL AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATION PUERTO RICAN HERITAGE MONTH FISCAL AGENCY INSTITUTE FOR THE PUERTO RICAN/HISPANIC ELDERLY 105 EAST 22ND STREET NEW YORK, NY 10010 (212) 677-4181; (212) 777-5106 (FAX) WW.COMITENOVIEMBRE.ORG SPECIAL THANKS TO: JOSE ACEVEDEO, JAIME BELLO, ELBA CABRERA, LUIS CORDERO, SULEIKA CABRERA DRINANE, WALLACE EDGECOMBE, CLARISEL GONZALEZ, MARTHA LAUREANO, EILEEN REYES, TERESA A. SANTIAGO, ANGEL SANTINI, LILI SANTIAGO SILVA AND NIDIA TORRES CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: CARMEN D. LUCCA, ANGELO FALCON, MADELINE FRIEDMAN, DR. IRIS ZAVALA-MARTINEZ, PH D., SULEIKA CABRERA DRINANE AND CASA PUEBLO © 2010 COMITÉ NOVIEMBRE ARTWORK BY: PEDRO J. BRULL LAYOUT: LUIS CORDERO, CEMIUNDERGROUND.COM PHOTOGRAPHY: LOURDES R. TORRES & ROBERT FIGUEROA EDITOR: TERESA SANTIAGO comité noviembre mes de la herencia puertorriqueña 24thMESSAGE Anniversary ON BEHALF OF COMITÉ NOVIEMBRE For the past 24 years, Comité Noviembre, CN has been celebrating Puerto Rican Heritage Month in this country. A non- profi t organization dedicated to commemorating and acknowledging the contributions Puerto Ricans have made to this city, state and nation. CN is composed of ten of the oldest and most prestigious Puerto Rican organizations: the Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly, ASPIRA of New York, el Museo del Barrio, Eugenio María de Hostos Community Col- lege, El Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños, El Puente, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, the National Institute for Latino Policy, the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights – Justice Committee, and the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration. This coordinating body plans and promotes CN’s annual programs and events. The charge of CN is to create awareness of our rich culture, language, and heritage and to acknowledge and take ownership of it everyday but specifi cally during the month of November. The annual theme is developed with the understanding that beyond celebrating our heritage, it must help to motivate, mobilize and empower our community around critical concerns. This year’s theme: This year’s theme: “Puertorriqueño de alma, vida y corazón” “Puerto Rican…mind, body and soul,” speaks to the essence of what being Puerto Rican means. It is living breathing embracing our culture, history and identity in our daily lives in everything that we do. It is the recognition from the bottom of our heart that speaks to our soul that affi rms our life as a Puertorriqueño. It is a state of mind, of being that comes from deep within us that empowers us to affect change and to continue to contribute and make accomplishments to this city, state and nation. CN is thrilled that fi ve time Grammy winner Olga Tañon is our 2010 Spokesperson and gala honoree. This journal also carries interesting, cultural, political and educational information that we hope will be of interest to you. We pride ourselves in being able to discuss all aspects and issues of our community – with respect, objectivity and pride. Contributing writers include: Angelo Falcon, president, National Institute for Latino Policy; Carmen D. Lucca, president of the Association for Puerto Rican/Hispanic Culture; Madeline Friedman, LatinoJustice–PRLDEF, Dr. Iris Zavala-Martinez, professor at Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños at Hunter College; Suleika Cabrera Drinane, Executive Director, Institute for Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly and Casa Pueblo, Adjuntas, P.R. Most importantly, we want to share with you the inspiring stories of our Lo Mejor de Nuestra Comunidad award recipients – truly exceptional, dedicated individuals who are the unsung heroes of our community and who are making a difference in not only the Puerto Rican community but society as a whole. The Lo Mejor de Nuestra Comunidad award honors Puerto Ricans whose pride in their heritage and strength of character have empowered themselves and inspired others to make signifi cant impact on our community. What is important to understand is that these award recipients are chosen by CN from nominations submitted by the community. CN will be awarding seven individuals with a special recognition to Taller Boricua on its 40th anniversary. For twenty-four years, CN has created and developed programs all geared to the support and enhancement of educational opportunities and leadership development for our youth with a cultural twist. These programs are fi rmly rooted in the belief, that in order to succeed in life, you must pursue a higher education, give back to your community through volunteer efforts and know your cultural history. In order to secure that our youth have better educational opportunities the CN Scholarship Awards Program (CNSAP) was established and has awarded $179,000 in scholarships since its inception fourteen years ago, an average of 12 scholarships a year and with a college graduation rate of 90%. An additional $7,000 has been awarded in the Richie Pérez Scholarship for Peace and Justice. The 2010 recipients of both scholarship programs are highlighted in the journal. You will be inspired by the clear sense of self and strength of character of these incredible young people that are building our communities and making a difference early on in their lives. This year’s benefi t event will take place on Friday, November 12, 2010, at the NY Hilton in Manhattan and will honor: Oscar Hernández, Renowned Pianist, Arranger & Grammy Award Winner, Carlos López López, Esq., Partner, Wolf Popper, LLP, Pedro Julio Serrano, IDS/Human Rights Activist, Founder, Puerto Rico Para Tod@s, and Julia Velez, Esq. MHSA, Execu- tive Director, Centro Se Salud Comunal Dr. Jose S. Belaval, Inc. The proceeds of this annual event, supports all of our programs and allows CN provide free programming and information to the community year round as well as scholarship dollars. Our programs include: two scholarship programs, the annual Leadership Development – Role Models Forum, conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA personnel, the Artisans Fair & Exhibit, the Health Fair, the educational trip to Puerto Rico, “Buscando Nuestra Raíces”, the Day of Community Service & Social Responsibility and food drive, a Three Kings celebration and toy drive, the annual CN/ El Diario La Prensa Puerto Rican Heritage Month Supplement, the production of this commemorative calendar journal, the artist competition, selection and commission process, the annual educational commemorative poster, selection of a spokes- person, the kick-off celebration and annual benefi t event, the Lo Mejor de Nuestra Comunidad and Puerto Rican Heritage Awards, our website information as well as cultural and health related workshops, forums and events sponsored by CN. Many events have been planned throughout New York State as well as New Jersey and Puerto Rico to celebrate our rich culture, traditions and history. CN urges everyone to participate in these events including our 5th Annual Artisans Fair that will take place on Saturday, November 20, 2010, from 10AM – 9PM at Hostos Community College in the Bronx. The 15th annual Day of Community Service and Social Responsibility will take place on Sunday, November 21, 2010 from 11AM – 4PM in several locations through the City, in Manhattan at El Museo del Barrio, in Brooklyn at El Puente and in the Bronx at Hostos Community College. On this day CN along with young people from ASPIRA of New York, Inc., El Puente and Hostos will be conducting a food drive to create Thanksgiving baskets for the poor of New York. Let us live in the moment of the history that we make each day, standing up for what we believe in and supporting causes that enhance, promote, preserve, and protect our culture, history, identity, language, community and natural resources. Let us embrace every day the essence of what it means to be Puertorriqueño de alma, vida y corazón” For Comité Noviembre Teresa A. Santiago, Chairperson Member Agencies: Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly ASPIRA of New York El Museo del Barrio El Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños El Puente Eugenio María de Hostos Community College LatinoJustice PRLDEF National Institute for Latino Policy National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights – Justice Committee Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration comite noviembre 2010 spokesperson & honoree Olga Tañon A beautiful face, a husky alto, and an energetic rapport with her audiences characterize only part of two-time Grammy and fi ve-time Latin Grammy winner Olga Tañón’s appeal. Since she fi rst started performing solo in 1992, Tañón has established herself as one of the leading merengue performers, standing out in the traditionally male genre. Her merengue albums have sold millions of copies, earning fans across the Americas and in Europe. Born Olga Teresa Tañón in Santurce, Puerto Rico, she is the youngest of four children. Her parents raised Tañón and her siblings in a solid working-class neighborhood in Levittown. When she was a teenager she auditioned for the merengue group, Las Nenas de Ringo y Jossie. She eventually left the group and became part of another all-girl group, Chantelle.