All posts by escalona

Open Letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder from Puerto Rican Academics

The Forum, ,

December 16, 2010

Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr. Attorney General of the United States
The United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Mr. Holder:

As Puerto Rican scholars teaching in the United States we have decided to write to you in order to express our deep concern with regard to recent developments at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR). For the past months, the University has experienced a continuing conflict that began last semester with a call for a strike by the students in response to an increase in academic tuition and related to fears about the future of public higher education on the island. Unfortunately, university administrators, professors, and students have not been able to negotiate a satisfactory agreement. The whole process has recently culminated in the intervention of Governor Luis Fortuño and the deployment of a massive police presence on the main university campus at Río Piedras and on other campuses in the system, including a private security contractor and fully armed SWAT units.

On December 13, Chancellor Ana R. Guadalupe banned all meetings, festivals, manifestations, and all other so-called large activities on the Río Piedras campus for a period of thirty days. In our view, this represents a clear breach of fundamental constitutional rights. The justifications given by the Chancellor are that this measure is required in order to keep the campus open and to return it to normal operations. Furthermore, professors and workers are being asked (under the threat of punishment) to continue working despite the intense volatility caused by the police presence on campus.

We remain very concerned that such use of force may in fact increase the potential for violence and continued tension, especially if the guarantees of freedom of speech, association, and assembly have been revoked. Both the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico guarantee these rights. Moreover, this week the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico (which, without the opportunity for serious public debate, was recently restructured by the government of Luis Fortuño in order to ensure a clear majority of judges in his favor) declared, in a disturbing resolution, that strikes will be prohibited at all UPR campuses effective immediately.

We the undersigned write to you as scholars and citizens because of the potentially lethal conditions that we have described and that prevail at the UPR. That is why we urge you to intervene in order to:
1. Guarantee the constitutional rights of freedom of speech, association, and assembly as stipulated by both constitutions and to see that the conflict is conducted under the strictest observation of human and civil rights for all parties involved.
2. Procure the immediate withdrawal of all state and city police, private contractors, and other non-UPR security personnel from the University of Puerto Rico system currently under occupation.
3. Call all parties to meet and have a truly productive dialogue.

Respectfully yours,
[Institutional affiliations for identification purposes only. Please respond to primary contacts.]

1) Agnes Lugo-Ortiz, The University of Chicago [Primary contact] lugortiz@uchicago.edu
2) Ivette N. Hernández-Torres, University of California, Irvine [Primary contact] ivetteh@uci.edu
3) Luis F. Avilés, University of California, Irvine [Primary contact] laviles9631@sbcglobal.net
4) Aldo Lauria-Santiago, Rutgers University [Primary contact] alauria@rci.rutgers.edu
5) Arcadio Díaz-Quiñones Emory L. Ford Professor, Emeritus, Princeton University adiaz@princeton.edu
6) Aníbal González-Pérez, Yale University anibal.gonzalez@yale.edu
7) Luis Figueroa-Martínez, Trinity College Treasurer, Puerto Rican Studies Association (PRSA) Luis.Figueroa@trincoll.edu
8) Roberto Alejandro, University of Massachusetts, Amherst ralejand@polsci.umass.edu
9) Harry Vélez-Quiñones, University of Puget Sound velez@pugetsound.edu
10) Ismael García-Colón, College of Staten Island, CUNY Ismael.Garcia@csi.cuny.edu
11) Áurea María Sotomayor-Miletti, University of Pittsburgh aureamariastmr@yahoo.com
12) Antonio Lauria-Perricelli, New York University al71@nyu.edu
13) Wanda Rivera Rivera, University of Massachusetts, Boston Wanda.Rivera-Rivera@umb.edu
14) José Quiroga, Emory University jquirog@emory.edu
15) Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor lawrlafo@yahoo.co.uk
16) Daniel Torres, Ohio University torres@ohio.edu
17) Pablo Delano, Trinity College Pablo.Delano@trincoll.edu
18) Denise Galarza Sepúlveda, Lafayette College
galarzad@lafayette.edu
19) Richard Rosa, Duke University rr49@duke.edu
20) Eleuterio Santiago-Díaz, University of New Mexico esantia@unm.edu
21) Ilia Rodríguez, University of New Mexico ilia@unm.edu
22) Ramón H. Rivera-Servera, Northwestern University r-rivera-servera@northwestern.edu
23) Gladys M. Jiménez-Muñoz, Binghamton University-SUNY gjimenez@binghamton.edu
24) Luz-María Umpierre Poet, Scholar, Human Rights Advocate LUmpierre@aol.com
25) Sheila Candelario, Fairfield University candelariosheila@hotmail.com
26) Edna Acosta-Belén, University at Albany, SUNY eab@albany.edu
27) Efraín Barradas, University of Florida at Gainsville barradas@LATAM.UFL.EDU
28) Kelvin Santiago-Valles, Binghamton University-SUNY stgokel@binghamton.edu
29) Víctor Figueroa, Wayne State University an7664@wayne.edu
30) Juan Duchesne Winter, University of Pittsburgh juanduchesne@yahoo.com
31) Pablo A. Llerandi-Román, Grand Valley State University llerandp@gvsu.edu
32) Irmary Reyes-Santos, University of Oregon irmary@uoregon.edu
33) Arnaldo Cruz-Malavé, Fordham University cruzmalave@fordham.edu
34) Ileana M. Rodríguez-Silva, University of Washington imrodrig@uw.edu
35) César A. Salgado, University of Texas, Austin cslgd@mail.utexas.edu
36) Jossianna Arroyo, University of Texas, Austin jarroyo@mail.utexas.edu
37) Francisco A. Scarano, University of Wisconsin, Madison fscarano@wisc.edu
38) Jaime Rodríguez Matos, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor jaimerod@umich.edu
39) Cecilia Enjuto Rangel, University of Oregon enjuto@uoregon.edu
40) Elpidio Laguna-Díaz, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey elplag@optonline.net
41) Lena Burgos-Lafuente, SUNY, Stony Brook lenabu@nyu.edu
42) Ramón Grosfoguel, University of California, Berkeley grosfogu@berkeley.edu
43) José Francisco Buscaglia Salgado, SUNY, Buffalo Director of Program in Caribbean Studies jfb2@buffalo.edu
44) Francisco Cabanillas, Bowling Green State University fcabani@bgsu.edu
45) Lisa Sánchez González, University of Connecticut lisa.m.sanchez@uconn.edu
46) María M. Carrión, Emory University mcarrio@emory.edu
47) Yolanda Martínez-San Miguel, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey Director Institute for Research on Women yolandatrabajo@optonline.net
48) Agustín Lao-Montes, University of Massachusetts, Amherst oxunelegua@yahoo.com
49) Jason Cortés, Rutgers University-Newark jasoncor@andromeda.rutgers.edu
50) Nelson Maldonado-Torres, Rutgers University President, Caribbean Philosophical Association nmtorres7@gmail.com
51) Daín Borges, The University of Chicago dborges@uchicago.edu
52) Edna Rodríguez-Mangual, Hamilton College emrodrig@hamilton.edu
53) Ricardo Pérez Figueroa, Eastern Connecticut State University PerezR@easternct.edu
54) Licia Fiol-Matta, Lehman College, CUNY lfiolmatta@earthlink.net
55) Frances R. Aparicio, University of Illinois at Chicago franapar@uic.edu
56) Luis E. Zayas, Arizona State University lezayas@asu.edu
57) Hortensia R. Morell, Temple University hmorell@temple.edu
58) Milagros Denis-Rosario, Hunter College mdenis@hunter.cuny.edu
59) Víctor Rodríguez, California State University, Long Beach vrodrig5@csulb.edu
60) Madeline Troche-Rodríguez, City Colleges of Chicago mtroche05@yahoo.com
61) Carmen R. Lugo-Lugo, Washington State University clugo@wsu.edu
62) Jorge Luis Castillo, University of California, Santa Barbara castillo@spanport.ucsb.edu
63) Rosa Elena Carrasquillo, College of the Holy Cross rcarrasq@holycross.edu
64) Juan Carlos Rodríguez, The Georgia Institute of Technology juan.rodriguez@modlangs.gatech.edu
65) Susana Peña, Bowling Green State University susanap@bgsu.edu
66) José R. Cartagena-Calderón, Pomona College Jose.Cartagena@pomona.edu
67) Amílcar Challu, Bowling Green State University achallu@bgsu.edu
68) Carlos J. Alonso, Columbia University calonso@columbia.edu
69) Carmen A. Rolón, Providence College CROLON@providence.edu
70) Amy Robinson, Bowling Green State University arobins@bgsu.edu
71) Consuelo Arias, Nassau Community College ecarias@att.net

Puerto Rican Scholars in Canada Who Also Subscribe to this Letter
72) Rubén A. Gaztambide-Fernández, University of Toronto rgaztambide@oise.utoronto.ca
73) Néstor E. Rodríguez, University of Toronto nestor.rodriguez@utoronto.ca
74) Gustavo J. Bobonis, University of Toronto gustavo.bobonis@utoronto.ca
cc: Thomas E. Pérez, Assistant Attorney General, United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
Luis Gutiérrez, Congressman, Illinois 4th District
Nydia Velázquez, Congresswoman, New York 12th District
José Serrano, Congressman, New York 16th District American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Luis Fortuño, Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner in Washington
José Ramón de la Torre, President of the University of Puerto Rico
Ygrí Rivera de Martínez, President of the Board of Trustees (Junta de Síndicos), University of Puerto Rico
Ana R. Guadalupe, Chancellor of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus

Puerto Ricans Stampede to the U.S.

The Forum, , ,

Puerto Ricans Stampede to the U.S., according to the Census Population of the island decreases by 2.2% in the last decade
By José A. Delgado | jdelgado@elnuevodia.com
El Nueva Día (December 22, 2010)
translated from Spanish by NiLP

WASHINGTON – Massive emigration to the United States and the reduction in birth rate have caused a drop of 2.2% in the population of Puerto Rico during the last decade, according to the new 2010 federal Census.

On April 1, 2010 Puerto Rico’s population was 3,725,789, or 82,821 less than in April 2000. This is the first time since the Federal Census has been conducted in Puerto Rico that the Puerto Rican population decreased from one decade to another.

Just one another federal jurisdiction, the state of Michigan, which has one of the three highest unemployment rates in the U.S. (12.4%), had a decline in their population during the last decade. The unemployment rate in Puerto Rico was in more than 16% in 2010.

“There is no doubt that in the case of Puerto Rico there has been a major migration pattern,” said Raul Cisneros, spokesman for the Federal Census, after announcing yesterday the first results from Census 2010.

According to the Census, 489.509 people moved from Puerto Rico to the United States between 2000 and 2008. “This does not include the number of people who returned to Puerto Rico during the same period,” said Professor Jorge Duany, an expert at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR).

In terms of the birth rate, statistics from the Department of Health of Puerto Rico in 2000 indicate that 15.6 children were born per 1,000 people. But in 2009, Duany stressed, the rate was 11.6 per 1,000 persons.

“The mortality rate, however, remained stable, around 7.4 deaths per 1,000 people,” said Duany.

The economic hardships of the past five years, the high rate in crime, low wages in comparison with the United States and low entry of foreign immigrants are other factors that may have caused the reduction in the population of the island

For example, data from the Planning Board indicate that between October 2000 and October 2010 Puerto Rico had 46,000 fewer employees (1.094 million), said Sergio Marxuach, an economic researcher for the Center of a New Economy (CNE).

In no other decade has there been as many murders as in the most recent. Since 2000, the total exceeds 8,600.

Foreign migration appears to have declined. Duany said Interior Department data indicate that between 2000 and 2009, 35.063 foreigners were admitted as immigrants in Puerto Rico, almost half of the total between 1990 and 1999.

Over Estimate

The first Federal Census estimates made between 2005 and 2009 overestimated the total number of residents of the Island.

Last week, preliminary calculations of the Puerto Rico Community Service placed the population of Puerto Rico at 3.94 million, about 200,000 more than the more accurate analysis presented yesterday from the 2010 Census.

The most recent estimate of the total of Puerto Ricans in the U.S. by the American Community Survey Federal Census was 4.16 million. The count of this population will be announced officially in February 2011, when announcing the next data release from the 2010 Census.

9.7% Increase in the U.S.

In the U.S., the population had an increase of 9.7%. Of the 281.4 million it had in 2000, now the total is estimated at 308.7 million (308,745, 538). In this release of the population count, the Federal Census does not include residents of Puerto Rico.

According to Cisneros, 53% of the residents of Puerto Rico completed and returned the federal census by mail, a 2% increase compared to 2000. Census officials competed the collection of this information through house to house visits. In the U.S., the mail delivery rate was 74%, virtually the same percentage of a decade ago.

The 2010 Census data determine redistricting in the United States and the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives.

Having had an increase of almost three million people, Florida, home to about 725,000 people of Puerto Rican origin, will gain two seats before the 2012 election. This will also represent an increase of votes in the U.S. Electoral College, through which the U.S. President is elected.

New York, home to more than a million Puerto Ricans, will lose two seats in the Federal lower house and two U.S. Electoral College votes.

Most of the states that gained seats and representation in the Electoral College voted in 2008 for Republican John McCain.

A MESSAGE OF CARING AND REQUEST FOR ACCURATE HISTORY AND CLEAR INFORMATION FROM THE PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY OF EL BARRIO ABOUT THE JULIA DE BURGOS LATINO CULTURAL CENTER

The Forum, , , , , , , ,

Questions prepared by Mary Boncher, psychologist, poet and long-time El Barrio resident. Responses from Marilyn Navarro, long-time El Barrio resident.

QUESTIONS LOOKING FOR ANSWERS: I just read a quote from Daniel Patrick Moynihan in the New Yorker (October 25, 2010 page 81) that seems quite applicable. “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not to his own facts”

Development of the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center
1. Which organizations and individuals were involved in the conception and early planning (1992-1995) for the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center? What roles did they play?

Johnny Colon – Music School, Ecuelecua – Maria Mar, Teatro LaTea, Taller Boricua – Fernando Salicrup, Edwin Marcial – Teatro Puertoriqueño, A Dance group, and another theater group I have to see if I have the name in some of my older files. The board chair was Carmen Vega Rivera the ED of EHTP at the time. The fiscal conduit and often mediator between EDC, the City, and the groups, was AHA. AHA provided space for their board meetings, and an administrative assistant to support the board of directors.

Side Note… someone should find out who houses the records for the Association of Hispanic Arts, while they are no longer in existence they may have kept copies of the board meeting minutes for the JBLCC board. We called the project the JBLCC project.

2. What was the original idea(s) for the Center?

The Julia de Burgos Latino and Cultural Center – JBLCC

It was suppose to be the mecca for the arts in El Barrio. It was suppose to provide a home to arts organizations struggling to find affordable space to teach, perform, and house Latino Arts in East Harlem. It would have a community Theater that the groups would share and also rent out to other arts organizations, gallery space, classrooms for teaching arts, and spaces for lectures and workshops. While the idea was that the center would be a Latino Arts Center, over 75% of the organizations being considered for moving in, and on the board were Puerto Rican organizations with deep roots in the East Harlem community.

3. In what ways were these ideas modified by the process of opening the Center?

4. What were the financial arrangements? What agency or organization owned (15 years ago) and now owns the building? What agency financed the renovations of the building?

It was owned by the city no one agency owned the space. The city would be leasing it to the organizations who were on the founding board. The organizations would pay rent based on the square footage they occupied. The city financed, but I cannot remember what city agency. I want to say DCA and EDC, but my memory does not carry that far back. A general manager would be hired to run the space. EDC and the City would have oversight for some time (amount of time I cannot recall), but eventually the space would become it’s own entity if they maintained compliance and operated well with some supervision from external agencies for a predetermined amount of time. The rent collected had to be enough to pay the mortgage, cover the operational expenses, and create a reserve. This is what determined the cost per square foot. Many of the organizations on the board who were hoping to move into the space could not afford the rent based on this square footage. There were conversations and the then board chair believed that through fundraising, with a good general manager they would be able to sustain, but overall the groups going in would have to agree to pay the square footage cost that was set, as they could not rely on fundraising when they had not even received the keys to the building, or the okay to move in. They had to prove to the overseeing agencies listed in number 5 below that they could sustain the building based on the only income that was guaranteed at the time… rent.

Side note…. You must all remember this was at a time where Cuomo was governor. The arts were not largely supported. Funding to the arts was not strong at all during this time. The fear of the larger institutions involved, overall, was that the groups moving in did not have the financial resources to be able to afford the rent, and that eventually the consortium would falter, because they would not be able to pay the mortgage, build reserve, and cover operations expenses in general.

What agency signed for and has carried the mortgage?
What were the terms of the financing?
How much money was spent? How much money is still owed?

5. What was the role of the following in the conception and launching of the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center?
New York City Cultural Affairs Commission
Economic Development Corporation
Borough President
City Council Representative
District 11 Community Board
Others

Granting Leases for Space in the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center – What happened in 1995?
1. What entity determined which organizations were granted leases?

The organizations on the original board submitted applications with extensive documentation that was reviewed by members of the organizations outlined in question #5 above. They were supported by AHA in preparing their applications. Those organizations that met the criteria established by the those in #5 above were suppose to move in.

2. What was the basis for determination?

3. What were/are the conditions of the leases?

4. In particular, what are the conditions for the leases granted for the multi-purpose space?

5. How was it that two floors in the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center was rented to the Department of Education for a school??

6. What entities oversee the Julia de Burgos, legally and operationally?
What have they done to ensure that the vision for the Center is actualized?
What power do they legally have?
Who has power over them?

7. What specifically is the role and function of the Economic Development Corporation? Who sits on the board of the EDC? How are they elected/appointed and for what term? To whom are they accountable?

8. What is the relationship between the Economic Development Corporation and Community Board 11, our City Council member, other political entities that affect El Barrio? How does it all work and fit together?

Our Council Woman’s Request to the EDC
1. What complaints/criticisms lead our Council Woman to go to the EDC to ask them to discontinue current lease for the multi-purpose space and to put out an RFEI?

2. What if any discussions did our Council Woman have with Taller Boricua about these complaints and possible solutions?

3. What was/is our Council Woman’s assessment of the responsibility of EDC for the conditions she has identified as problematic with the use and utilization of the multi-purpose and theater space at the Julia de Burgos?

Taller Boricua and the Multi-Purpose Space
1. How has the space been used?

2. Who has and who has not had access to using the space?

3. What does the Taller understand as the complaints/criticisms of the use and utilization of the multi-purpose space?

4. What is the Taller’s response to these complaints/criticisms?

Current Issues from a Broader Perspective
1. What is the EDC’s responsibility in relation to the current situation with the Julia de Burgos?

2. What are the long term ramifications of the following statement in the online NYC Procurement Opportunities

This RFEI is not a formal offering for organizations to locate at the Site. However NYCEDC reserves the right to enter into negotiations with the organization(s) on the basis of the responses to the RFEI without engaging in further processes. NYCEDC and the City reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to withdraw the RFEI; to choose to discuss various approaches with one or more respondents (including those not responding to the RFEI), to use the ideas or proposals submitted in any manner deemed to be in the best interest of the NYCEDC and the City, including but not limited to soliciting competitive submission relating to such ideas or proposals; and/or undertake the prescribed work in a manner other than that which is set forth herein. NYCEDC and the City likewise reserve the right, at any time, to change any terms of the RFEI.” (darkened area not in original)

3. What is the potential negative cost to the Puerto Rican community in El Barrio of yet another “in-fight this time between our Council woman and her supporter and the Taller Boricua and its supporters?

4. What options, if any, are there for the community to handle the differences over the Julia de Burgos spaces in a less contentious manner?

5. What if anything have we learned from past battles over institutions in El Barrio and the ensuing loses to the Puerto Rican Community

6. What mistakes were made in those battles/confrontations? What do we need to learn?

7. What does this all have to do with gentrification?

VISIONS
What visions do we have for how to handle differences within El Barrio so that we do not lose what is left of El Barrio for the Puerto Rican Community.

1. What visions are there for how we can work more cooperatively, forge a stronger community, and combat gentrification?

2. What middle forces are available in the community to mediate the current conflict which presents as quite polarized

Side note…. From what I remember there was a general sense even then in 1993 – 1997 when I worked directly with these individuals, that Taller Boricua monopolized the overall process. While perhaps well intentioned in wanting to be a part of such a historic project and wanting to be in the space, other groups felt that their voice was not as prominent in the process as that of those who represented Taller Boricua. What started out as a collective of arts organizations taking part in a historic projected ended sadly. When those doors opened, the only group that went into the space – from the original organizations on the board – was Taller Boricua. My memory may be wrong, and if it is, not more than one or two others from that original board ever went into the space.

Signed,
M. Navarro,
Puerto Rican Resident of El Barrio for 38 years
Born and Raised

10/22/10

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where from
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TALLER BORICUA IS HONORED TO PRESENT A NUYORICAN POETRY READING SERIES

Corrientes

 

 

IN ASSOCIATION WITH OUR CURRENT EXHIBITION:

Thursday, December 16th, 6-9pm:
SANDRA MARÍA ESTEVES, JESÚS
PAPOLETO MELÉNDEZ, NANCY
MERCADO & MYRNA NIEVES

Thursday, January 13th, 6-9pm:
CARIDAD DE LA LUZ “LA BRUJA,”
BOBBY GONZALEZ, URAYOÁN
NOEL* & EDWIN TORRES*

* See What I Mean Poetry Reading Series will celebrate two book releases: Urayoán Noel’s “Hi-Density Politics” and Edwin Torres’ “Yes Thing No Thing” as well the second printing of Bobby Gonzalez’s book “The Last Puerto Rican Indian: A Collection of Dangerous Poetry.”

Suggested donation of $5 (not mandatory for entrance)
At the Julia de Burgos Latino Cultural Center:
1680 Lexington Avenue btwn 105/106 Sts, NYC, NY 10029

Light refreshments will be served. For more information visit our website at:
www.tallerboricua.org or email us at contact@tallerboricua.org

Exhibition and poetry series are both made possible with support from The New York State Council
on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone,
Ponce de Leon Federal Bank and individual donations.

EXHIBITION WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 9PM ON POETRY READING NIGHTS:
SEE WHAT I MEAN
Anibal Arroyo, Nicky Enright, Sandra María Esteves, Nicholas Fraser,
Caridad De La Luz “La Bruja,” Soraya Marcano, Joetta Maue, Elsa María
Meléndez, Jesús Papoleto Meléndez, Antonio “Titanium” Montalvo, Christian
“XIAN” Montalvo, Urayoán Noel, Ronny Quevedo, David Quiles, Wilson
Ramos Jr., Oliver Rios, Karen Shaw and Seldon Yuan

Curated by Marcos Dimas and Christine Licata

Exhibition Dates: December 3 – January 15, 2011
Opening: Friday, December 3, 2010 6-9pm
Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 12-6pm, Thursday 1-7pm, Monday and Sunday Closed

Taller Boricua / The Puerto Rican Workshop is a 40-year old artist-run nonprofit art gallery
and multidisciplinary cultural space in El Barrio. Our mission is to be a proactive institution for the
community in East Harlem by offering programs that stimulate its social, cultural and economic
development through the promotion of the arts.

An Open Letter to City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito Concerning the Julia de Burgos Cultural Center

The Forum, , ,

I am writing to you on behalf of my husband, myself, and all our friends who have been attending the Latin dance night at Julia de Burgos Cultural Center. We have been dancing there since the site opened. It’s a wonderful way to preserve the rich history of Latin music and dance, especially since most of us are over 50 and remember Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Joe Cuba, whose wake we attended, Celia Cruz, Hector Lavoe,and many others.

I can’t think of a better way to promote harmony among people than by congregating at Burgos every Wednesday night. There are dancers from so many varied ethnic and religious backgrounds that it is an excellent representation of multicultural activity. I have never witnessed a harsh word, argument, or altercation in all the years I have dancing there. People come for their love of Latin music and dance. We socialize, talk about old times, eat, drink, take photographs together, and most importantly, share our passion for mambo, cha cha, and merengue. And it is a passion! Every week someone celebrates a birthday with a huge cake, which is offered to friends and acquaintances alike. I celebrated mine on November 17, and I was so happy to have such a spot where camaraderie is at its height.

Unfortunately, you have a reputation of being unsupportive of small business, low-income tenants, and affordable housing, in favor of big business and multinational corporations. I suppose that closing Burgos is in line with your present political leanings and aspirations. If I am wrong about this, please respond to this email. I would like to hear your side.

Sincerely

Jan Mayrick
janmeowon2@aol.com

Seeking art teachers – Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble

Corrientes

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to some wonderful new grants that have come in, we have an opportunity to expand some of our programs into more schools in the West Town/Humboldt Park neighborhood. We are looking for dance and theatre teaching artists to work in k-8th classrooms as well as to lead Wellness (fitness and nutrition/cooking) classes for parents. I’ve included and attached the job description, please feel free to pass it onto anyone you know who maybe interested. The programs will begin in February and March and we are hoping to fill the spots before break on Dec. 22.

Thank you for your help,
Ellyzabeth Adler

Dance and Theatre Teaching Artist Positions Available
(contracts begin February 2011 & are roughly 8-20 sessions, 1 hour in length):
· CDE is currently seeking dance and theatre teaching artists experienced in teaching children grades prek-8th for our residency programs. (see descriptions below under candidates)
o Specific programs include: Books Alive, Cooking Show & Measurements of Movement
· CDE is seeking teaching artists to teach fitness and cooking classes for parents in low-income schools in the West Town neighborhood.
Compensation: rates depend on the program between $25-60 an hour plus prep time
Candidates:
Candidates must have experience teaching, developing curriculum, working with classroom and fellow teaching artists to develop programming. Must have a desire for fun with kids and innovation teaching methods. Background checks required.

Current Teaching Positions:
Residency School Day Programs: we are currently accepting applications for our following programs:
Measurements in Movement This class is designed for all grades to explore choreography movement and mathematical concepts resulting in a structured modern dance. The purpose of this class is to develop an awareness of body, space, tempo and connect the movement to concepts such as symmetry, number, line, parallel, diagonal and fractions.

The Cooking Show The Cooking Show addresses a need for wellness education in our schools through acting exercises, learning new recipes and writing foods reviews. By learning to cook healthy meals, students are also able to demonstrate math skills (ie. how many 1/4 cups are in 1 cup). At the end of the program, the kids will use all their new skills to create a filmed TV show performance that will include a host, judges, student cooking teams and an audience.

Books Alive Theatre Night for Day and After School CDE works with grades K-8 using books, folklore and student poetry to create performances for school, parent or community audiences. All source material is directly tied to current academic curriculum. Our teaching artists work with classroom teachers to decide on themes and stories and create accompanying sets and costumes.

Parent Wellness Fitness and Nutrition Workshops and Classes this is a new program for CDE and will be developing based on classes already taught by Ellyzabeth Adler. The focus is to educate parents in healthy lifestyle choices that include portion size, cooking, and exercising. The exercise classes should incorporate dance, yoga, and Pilates. No need to be certified, just a strong knowledge to make the workouts fun and inspiring to parents who have little to no exercise experience.

Application: please email the following information to Ellyzabeth Adler, Executive Director, Ellyzabeth@danztheatre.org no phone calls please

1. Resume with teaching experience & three references

2. Knowledge of the Illinois State Standards

3. A brief paragraph on how your teaching philosophy fits with ours, your experience & why you love teaching

4. Any curriculum ideas for the school programs you are interested in applying for

5. State whether or not you have a car & availability

Who we are: Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble is a multidisciplinary arts organization that engages and inspires the community through socially conscious performances and outreach programs. We fuse literature, theatre, contemporary dance, theatre, multimedia and visual art into the content of our performances and outreach programming.
Outreach Programs:
Kids Project is a school age outreach program that works to increase awareness of the arts and improve literacy in children of all backgrounds through experiences in visual and performing arts. Similar to the adult performance ensemble, the Kids Project uses literature as a vehicle and introduces students to the fine and performing arts while increasing literacy skills and fostering greater self-esteem.

Teen Artist Project encourages teens to draw upon their experiences to express their own thoughts and ideas through the fine and performing arts. Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble’s outreach program for middle school and high school students, fills a need for arts programming in Chicago schools and community centers through our collaborative spirit and ability to connect with students through our multidisciplinary work.

Teaching Philosophy: CDE uses a process-oriented approach in our classrooms so that we can build upon of each child’s personalities and inherent talents. By giving our students achievable goals, they become more self-confident and we are able to build on those simple goals by making them more complex. Our “Whole-Child” teaching philosophy enables us to help students learn better ways to communicate. By processing emotions and their physical responses, our students gain an understanding of body awareness and become more intuitive to others’ needs. The “Whole-Child” teaching philosophy allows us to create a flexible curriculum incorporating theatre, dance and visual art to meet the needs of our students.

Teaching Objectives:
â—¦ Engage and inspire students by fusing literature, theatre, dance and visual arts.
◦ Build upon each child’s personality and inherent talents.
◦ Strengthen student’s literacy skills, critical thinking and self-esteem.
â—¦ By teaching creatively gets children to fully understand academic concepts

—
Jorge Félix
arts direction – curatorial-exhibition consultant – non-profit administration
phone: (773) 620-8608 e-mail: jorgefelix11@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/JorgeFelix11
http://twitter.com/JorgeFelix11
http://artistasdepuertorico.ning.com/profile/JorgeFelix

Puerto Rico Film Commission Open Call for an Assistant Editor

Corrientes

 

 

PUERTO RICO FILM COMMISSION
Mentoring Program
-1st Editing Mentorship –

The Puerto Rico Film Commission announces an Open Call for an aspiring local editor to work with the renowned editor Guillermo Represa as Assistant Editor on the documentary “The Needle,” directed by Carmen Oquendo Villar and José Correa Vigier and produced by Felipe Tewes and Dana King. Represa has been nominated in the best editor category for the Goya Award (“Boca a Boca,” starring Javier Bardem) and the Condor Award in Argentina (“Live-in Maid,” starring Norma Aleandro). Mr. Represa has edited more than 30 films, including “Sólo mía” starring Paz Vega.

The Editing Fellow will receive intensive editing training, a broad perspective on the international film industry, and a credit as Assistant Editor of the documentary “The Needle.” The Fellow must be willing to perform tasks related to editing (to be specified by the editor, the directors, and the production team), to move to a workplace of the directors’ and editor’s choosing, and to work for a period of up to three (3) months. The Fellow will receive a stipend.

Application and Documentary Requirements:
1. Applicants must be residents of Puerto Rico with experience in film editing.
2. Those interested should submit 5 folders containing all the following information:
a. Cover Letter explaining why the candidate should be selected
b. Resume or CV with two contact phone numbers and email
c. Filmography
d. Examples of previous work in NTSC DVD format of at least 3 minutes and no more than 15 minutes in duration.

3. Those interested must be available for work during the months of December 2010, January, February and March 2011.

Please send the requested documents to the offices of the Film Corporation before December 20, 2010. If you send information by mail, must be postmarked by the deadline and must submit the request to the following address: 355 Ave FD, Suite106, Roosevelt, San Juan PR 00918.

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CORPORACION DE CINE
Programa de Mentorías
-1ra Mentoría de Edición-

La primera convocatoria será para que un aspirante a editor local pueda trabajar como Asistente de Editor junto con el reconocido editor Guillermo Represa para editar el documental “La aguja” dirigido por Carmen Oquendo-Villar & José Correa-Vigier y producido por Felipe Tewes & Dana King. Represa ha sido nominado en la categoría mejor editor al premio Goya por “Boca a Boca” (protagonizada por Javier Bardem) y al premio Cóndor de Argentina por “Cama adentro” (protagonizada por Norma Aleandro). Ha editado más de 30 películas, entre las que se encuentra “Sólo mía,” protagonizada por Paz Vega.

El becado recibirá entrenamiento intensivo en el área de edición, una perspectiva amplia de la industria de cine internacional y un crédito de Asistente de Editor en el documental “La aguja.” Este persona deberá estar dispuesta a realizar tareas relacionadas con la edición (a especificar por el editor y el equipo de dirección y producción), a trasladarse a un centro de trabajo que será elegido por los realizadores y el editor, y a trabajar durante un periodo de hasta tres (3) meses. El asistente de editor recibirá un estipendio.

Requisitos y documentación para solicitar:
1. Pueden participar residentes de Puerto Rico que tengan formación en edición cinematográfica.

2. Los interesados deberán entregar 5 cartapacios que contengan toda la información solicitada:

a. Carta de presentación donde expondrá por que debería ser seleccionado
b. Curriculum del interesado que incluya dos teléfonos de contacto y correo electrónico.
c. Filmografía del interesado.
d. Trabajos Previos en formato DVD NTSC con una duración mínima de 3 minutos y máxima de 15 minutos.

3. Los interesados deberán estar disponibles para trabajar durante los meses de diciembre 2010, enero, febrero, y marzo 2011.

Favor de remitir la documentación solicitada a las oficinas de la Corporación de Cine antes del 20 de diciembre de 2010. Si envía la información por correo, tiene que tener el matasello de la fecha limite y deberá enviar la solicitud a la siguiente dirección: 355 Ave F.D. Roosevelt Suite106 San Juan PR 00918.