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Archivado para Febrero, 2010

Exclusive – Childcare case against Hunter gets boost

Jueves, Febrero 25th, 2010

As reported in today’s El Diario-La Prensa, documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Law show that Hunter College administrators may have been in violation of established procedures around the operation of a childcare facility.

According to a press release from the Defend Hunter Childcare Campaign, “The documents reveal that the board of directors that governs the CLC (Children’s Learning Center) has been operating in an illegal manner and prove a clear conflict of interest, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties and obligations.”

Since last spring, students and supporters have been waging a campaign to save childcare space within Hunter. Administrators have said that the space is underutilized and will not affect services. But leaders of the campaign say Hunter has not promoted the space.

In December, student-parents at Hunter successfully filed a temporary restraining order against Hunter’s plans to reduce and reconstruct childcare space for other university purposes.

Earlier this month, New York State Supreme Court Judge Emily Jane Goodman rejected a motion by Hunter to dismiss the case. A new hearing date has been set for March 18.

–E. Gonzalez

Tags: childcare, Hunter, Parents/Padres
Publicado en Educación/Education, Parents/Padres, Students | No Comments »

Racial Segregation in Westchester

Martes, Febrero 23rd, 2010

Earlier this month, a federal monitor rejected Westchester County’s plan–or rather, lack of a plan–for addressing the housing segregation it is is known for, and was sued for. In a guest column published in El Diario-La Prensa, Westchester County resident Anita Rivera discusses the impact of racial segregation there…

House-hunting in Westchester wasn’t easy even though I owned a co-op in Fleetwood and my husband owned a condo in Tarrytown. When we got married, we decided to pool our resources. We wanted a safe, quiet and affordable neighborhood, with good schools. It also had to be a commutable distance from our jobs. We could afford to live in several areas; however, we found they were too racially homogenous. I didn’t want my children to be the only Latinos in the classroom. Eventually, we bought a home in a small Northern Westchester town that was, to some degree, racially integrated.
Six months ago, Westchester County settled a desegregation lawsuit which found that the county had not done all that it could to address the racial segregation that my husband and I witnessed first hand. As a recipient of federal housing funds, Westchester needed to be even-handed in the placement of affordable housing and make a conscious effort toward integration. Apparently, some predominantly white communities in the county were off-limits for affordable housing developments. The lawsuit shed some light on the fraudulent practices of Westchester municipalities that took federal money to further fair housing and didn’t deliver.
While the word “segregation” may conjure scary images of separate drinking fountains, in Westchester it means that many whites live apart from non-whites. When you see the demographics plotted out on a map, there is a degree of racial isolation that is dramatic and discouraging. African Americans and Latinos have lived in Westchester for generations. However, regardless of income, they tend to live in specific communities. These communities are generally urbanized, less-affluent, and perceived as less desirable by potential residents.
Working people who want to live in a safe environment and send their children to decent schools should be able to find affordable housing. However, some resentful Westchester residents began circling the wagons. They believed that the settlement would lead to undeserving people enjoying the pastoral life of the suburbs without having paid for it. There were charges of social engineering and anger over the potential introduction of public housing projects filled with seething gangs plunked down in the middle of Chappaqua.
It seems all the hackles were raised over nothing. As part of the settlement the county agreed to build 750 affordable housing units in these white communities and recruit nonwhite working families to live in them. No one should be surprised to hear that a federal monitor overseeing the process has found the county’s “new” affordable housing plan has no teeth. It seems the county government has not fulfilled the terms of the settlement because the plan neither stipulates where and when these developments will be built, nor does it explain how white towns will be held accountable for noncompliance with federal law.
Because of our income and investments, my husband and I were fortunate to have the luxury of choice when it came to Westchester. Yet, we still chose to be in an area that was already integrated. We felt the need to avoid white enclaves for the well-being of our children. Even so, I still wondered if people thought that the neighborhood went down the tubes when we moved in, simply because of the color of my skin. No one should ever have to feel this way. Communities should be judged by the amenities they have to offer prospective families, not by the percentages of a particular racial group. Nevertheless, in a racially segregated Westchester this trend will only continue.
–Anita Rivera resides in Westchester County.

Tags: Housing, segregation, Westchester County
Publicado en Housing | 1 Comment »

Another candidate for Queens assembly district

Viernes, Febrero 19th, 2010

Bryan Pu-Folkes

UPDATED: Now that a judge has backed the New York State Senate’s expulsion of Hiram Monserrate, a special election in his district will take place. There remains a possibility that Monserrate could still run to win back his seat. It is unclear whether the New York State Senate’s expulsion of disgraced senator Hiram Monserrate will be overturned. But this is not stopping candidates from tossing their hats into the electoral races that could be triggered with Monserrate’s ouster.

Last week, several elected officials announced their endorsement of Assemblyman Jose Peralta in his bid to replace Monserrate. And earlier this month, Francisco Moya, a former staffer to Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, declared that he would run for Peralta’s seat, should it become available.

Now, longtime grassroots activist Bryan Pu-Folkes is expected to announce next week that he will also seek to represent to the 39th Assembly District, which could mean a real electoral race for the Queens area.

An immigration attorney who says his clients are mostly low-income families, Pu-Folkes founded the nonprofit organization New Immigrant Communities for Empowerment (NICE) 10 years ago.

“We need new leadership in Albany that will help promote working class issues in particular,” Pu-Folkes told El Diario-La Prensa yesterday. Among the issues he has worked on and wants to focus on are wage theft, enforcement of labor laws and closing loopholes that leave some workers vulnerable to abuse by employers.

Pu-Folkes unsuccessfully ran for a City Council seat in 2005. He says he lacked some political sophistication that he has gained since then.

Moya, who in the past worked for the State Senate, is Ecuadorian—a background that is certain to have appeal in a district with a growing Ecuadorian community yearning for political representation.

While he understands this appeal, Pu-Folkes, whose wife is Latina, says he believes voters will go with the candidate who has delivered the most to immigrant families. “I have been encouraged to run mostly by Latinos in the district…I am humbled by that.”

Pu-Folkes said his parents, who are from Burma and Jamaica, confronted cultural and language barriers when they arrived in New York in 1959. “I grew up in an environment learning how to speak up for rights,” he said.
-E. Gonzalez

Tags: elections, politics, Queens
Publicado en New York/Nueva York, Política/Politics, Queens | 2 Comments »

A Call for Excelencia in Education

Viernes, Febrero 12th, 2010

Do you know any educational institution worthy of recognition that has a record in graduating Latino students, and forms leaders with the help of an excellent staff? Then nominate it for an Excelencia in Education Award, your institution might win $5,000 and not to mention recognition among other benefits.

The Excelencia in Education ––a national initiative that identifies and promotes programs that improves educational achievement for Latino students–– is accepting online nominations until May 7, 2010 for its 6^th edition.

Tags: award, education, national
Publicado en Educación/Education | No Comments »

Census PSA Targeted at Young Latinos

Viernes, Febrero 12th, 2010

Voto Latino, a youth driven organization founded by Rosario Dawson, wants to get young Latinos to participate on the 2010 Census. Their pitch: in order to get political representation, Latinos need to be counted. “Participation is crucial, and the act of not participating translates to an estimated loss of 10K per person in federal funds until the next census,” says Dawson.

The campaign includes a series of public service announcements that debunk some myths about the Census and highlight the importance of participating. These PSAs will be shown in MTV Tr3s during February.

Voto Latino invites Latinos to pledge their compromise to participate in the Census 2010.

Learn more about the Census 2010. Check out the Voto Latino PSA on MTV Tr3s, starting artist like Wilmer Valderrama, Rosario Dawson (in the picture), Ana Ortiz, Luis Guzmán, Jorge Garcia, Graciela Beltrán, and Malverde.

Tags: Census 2010, latino, politics, PSA, Tags MTV Tr3s, Voto Latino, youth
Publicado en Census | 2 Comments »

Hay que saber contar

Viernes, Febrero 12th, 2010

Para efectos del censo, los prisioneros se cuentan como parte del distrito dónde está la cárcel, aún cuando para los efectos son ciudadanos del lugar de su última dirección, así lo es cuando tienen cualquier problema legal.

¿Y por qué esto es un problema? El Censo 2010 es un proceso importantísimo mediante el cual se sacan cuentas de cuántas personas viven en cada región. De esa manera se distribuyen los representantes políticos y el dinero presupuestal.

Por lo tanto alrededor de 2 millones de personas se contarán en el lugar incorrecto, y esto causa que los lugares más necesitados de representación y ayuda económica sean pasados por alto.

El cambio de esta forma de contar a los prisioneros es inminente. Únase a la iniciativa Prisioneros del Censo para poder contar bien antes de que comience el Censo en marzo.

-T. Caro

Tags: cambio, cárceles, Censo 2010, contar, prisión, prisioneros
Publicado en Census | No Comments »

Ferreras endorses Peralta

Jueves, Febrero 11th, 2010

New York City Council woman Julissa Ferreras, who represents Queens’ heavily Latino district 21, endorsed Assemblyman José Peralta this morning. The assemblyman had declared months ago that he would challenge State Senator Hiram Monserrate, who was expelled this week by the NY State Senate for his conviction on a misdemeanor assault charge.

Ferreras was in the company of other elected officials, such as Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who also endorsed Peralta. But Ferreras’ endorsement is most notable because she once served as Monserrate’s chief of staff. She has years of service in the same neighborhoods once served by Monserrate.

“As Chair of the City Council’s Women’s Committee, I am on the frontlines every day, dealing with the critical issues facing women, and making sure that we live in a city that protects their rights and advances their dreams,” Ferreras states in a press release. “José Peralta is someone who has shown time and time again that he is a leader on the issues that matter most to women.”

Monserrate, represented by Norman Siegel, is challenging the explusion. A judge did not grant the temporary restraining order they sought to reverse the senate’s action. But a court date of Feb. 18 has been set to consider a preliminary injunction, reports El Diario columnist Gerson Borrero.

Tags: Hiram Monserrate, Jose Peralta, Julissa Ferreras, New York politics, Queens
Publicado en Política/Politics, Queens | No Comments »

One less Latino at City Hall…

Jueves, Febrero 11th, 2010

…because the brown presence is so visible and significant to begin with at the top of the Bloomberg administration…

Mayor Bloomberg’s press office just announced that city legislative affairs director Eddie Bautista has resigned to return to his roots–activism. He will become the executive director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance.

-E. Gonzalez

Tags: Bloomberg, City Hall, Eddie Bautista, Latinos, New York City
Publicado en Política/Politics | 3 Comments »

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Archivado para Febrero, 2010

Exclusive – Childcare case against Hunter gets boost

Racial Segregation in Westchester

Another candidate for Queens assembly district

A Call for Excelencia in Education

Census PSA Targeted at Young Latinos

Hay que saber contar

Ferreras endorses Peralta

One less Latino at City Hall…

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