July
28
2010
As the saying goes, most politics is local. So for those of you who live in the Bronx, or know people who do, there are two big races to watch this fall in the Boogie Down. As mentioned in an earlier post, last April I became the Bronx County Political Buzz Examiner for Examiner.com. I have had a little time to glance through some of the big elections coming this fall and have decided to concentrate on two state senate races: the 32nd and the 33rd districts. Two first time challengers (Ramos and Rivera) are trying to unseat two behemoths of Bronx politics (Diaz, Sr. and Espada, Jr.) All four are Latino, which makes sense in a borough where 51.7 percent of the population is Latino. Both races are sure to be exciting and can greatly re-shape the politics of the Bronx, and finally provide some much needed transparency in the local political process. The Democratic Primary in NYC is scheduled for Sept. 14th. Stay tuned, but most importantly get involved anyway you can.
July
19
2010
A productive staff is the most important asset an organization can possess, notes one of the best business schools in the world. A happy staff is more productive, according to a recent study conducted by the Warwick Business School in the United Kingdom.
“We find that human happiness has large and positive causal effects on productivity,” said Andrew Oswald, a professor of economics at Warwick Business School and a leading authority on the relationship between economics and mental health.
“If happiness in the workplace brings increased returns to productivity, then human resource departments, business managers and the architects of promotion policies will want to consider the implications,” the research concluded.
I was a witness to an act of employee recognition this week when I accompanied the staff of Bogota Latin Bistro on a trip to Great Adventure. The owners of the Park Slope bistro, Farid Ali Lancheros and George Constantinou Fernandes, rewarded their hard working staff with an all-paid, full-day trip to the amusement park on Tuesday.
At a time when companies are scaling back on perks and special events recognizing excellent work, Farid and George decided to close the restaurant’s door for the second year in a row. Employees and their family and friends were treated to exciting trip, complete with food and drink, and thanked publicly for another year of productive work.
Many businesses can take a lead from the owners of Bogota Latin Bistro & Mojito Bar, which has become Brooklyn’s premier Latin restaurant. No matter how tough these economic times may be, having a happy staff that is recognized for its hard work really makes a difference to any organization’s bottom line.
July
18
2010
With the incredible political mess in Arizona surrounding immigration reform, I thought I would blog about a movie on DVD I recently viewed that showcases serious issues regarding the current national controversy. Amexicano, a 2008 independent film, is a story about an Italian-American guy from Queens who begins a true and unexpected friendship with an undocumented Mexican immigrant. The characters in the story are developed well and I found myself emotionally invested on a positive outcome. There is a major twist in the end that might throw the film off, however it clearly illustrates the many challenges facing undocumented residents in the United States today. No matter which immigration reform side you support, this film will tap your humanity and make you think about the issue in a different light.
July
1
2010
Latino Americans will play a vital role in the upcoming 2010 mid-term elections. Latinos, the largest and fasting growing minority group in the United States, were instrumental in electing the last two U.S. presidents. If voting tends keep with the present pace, few politicians in this country will be able to hold an elected position without winning the Latino vote.
Census figures today show 46.9 million Latinos make up 15.4 percent of the total U.S. population. By 2050 more than 130 million Latinos will live in the U.S., about 30 percent of the population or 1 in 4 residents. An estimated 12.1 million registered Latinos voted in 2008 representing an increase of 2.8 million since 2006, or a 30.5 percent increase, making it the largest numerical increase in U.S. Latino voter registration history.
According to the William C. Velasquez Institute, Latino voter polls for the 2008 Presidential Election showed then-Senator Barack Obama was supported by a 68.6 percent to 28.7 percent for Senator John McCain.
A report entitled “The Power of the Latino Vote in America” by America’s Voice, a pro-immigrant group, shows between 2000 and 2008 Latino voter registration grew 54 percent and turnout grew 64 percent. In the 2004 presidential race, 7.5 million Latinos voted. In the 2006 midterm election, 8 million voted, and in the 2008 presidential race, 10 million cast ballots.
Latinos make up at least 25 percent of the population in nearly one in five congressional districts. In the 2010-midterm elections America’s Voice suggests Latino voters will be a potentially decisive force in 37 House and Senate races, plus contests for governor in California, Colorado and Texas.
Statistics clearly indicate Latinos will continue to be a political powerhouse in the U.S. for many decades to come. For more information on the power of the Latino vote read July’s political column at El Boricua.com.
June
16
2010
I’m following the 2010 World Cup and caught the second half of the opening 1-1 tie between Mexico and South Africa. I was rooting for Mexico in that game. Though I am not a big soccer fan, the global excitement of the game has me hooked. I find myself cheering on many of the Latino teams and hope one of them will win it all. As a budding soccer fan, I find it difficult sometimes to find out who’s playing when and where on TV I can catch the game.
Univision created a website for everything you need to know about the 2010 World Cup. UnivisionFutbol.com provides you with the latest scores, coverage, and it is live-streaming all 64 games.
The game between South Africa and Uruguay is just getting started so I have to run. It’s great to know the FIFA World Cup is being hosted in Africa for the first time ever. South Africa should be very proud, but my heart today leans toward Uruguay. Go Latinos!
June
8
2010
This coming Sunday Boricuas will celebrate the National Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. I thought I would commemorate the event with my very first film review. I recently saw on DVD a great Puerto Rican movie entitled Maldeamores (lovesickness.) The 2007 film was directed and co-written by Carlitos Ruiz Ruiz and was executively produced by Oscar-winning Puerto Rican actor Benicio del Toro. Luis Guzmán, a well-known Puerto Rican actor that appeared in the movie Carlitos Way and the HBO series OZ, leads a stellar class of actors in this film about the ups and downs of love. Maldeamores was filmed in 18 days in Aquadilla, Santurce, and Salinas, Puerto Rico.
The film is beautifully Puerto Rican, with specific cultural sayings like “revulú” and “guagua.” It is a Spanish-language film with English subtitles available, but some Puerto Rican Spanish slang just does not translate well. Puerto Rico and its culture are clearly main “characters” in the film. The superb acting all-around, the island setting, music, dialogue, and family drama was culturally entertaining. Senior actress Silvia Brito steals a few hilarious scenes and I was impressed with the serious acting of Luis Gonzaga.
If you would like to see an excellent Puerto Rican film check out Maldeamores on DVD. The movie/DVD was made possible by the hard work and dedication of people from the Puerto Rico Film Commission and Maya Entertainment.
May
16
2010
Congressman Luis Gutiérrez, one of only three Puerto Rican members of the U.S. House of Representatives, was arrested on May 1 in Washington, D.C. while protesting Arizona’s new controversial illegal immigrant legislation bill, SB 1070. Representative Guiterrez, the first Latino elected to Congress from the Midwest, has a long-time commitment and passion for protecting and advocating for the nation’s immigrant community.
Outraged by a controversial Arizona immigration law signed on April 23, tens of thousands of protesters — including 50,000 alone in Los Angeles — rallied in cities across America demanding that President Barack Obama tackle national immigration reform immediately.
Congressman Gutiérrez was among 35 activists arrested and taken away in plastic handcuffs by U.S. Parks Police for failing to move from a sidewalk outside the White House.
Immigration reform is Rep. Gutiérrez’s greatest legislative passion. He has held public forums around the country to build a grass-roots movement in support of overhauling the existing immigration laws. His efforts led to President Obama expressing support in May 2009 for rewriting the immigration laws, however Gutiérrez is not satisfied with the lack national advancement on the issue.
In December 2009 Gutiérrez introduced his own immigration reform bill focusing on border security, detention, and enforcement. The proposed bill also includes employment verification and an earned legalization program for the country’s estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants.
For more information on Congressman Gutiérrez please read the May political column at ElBoricua.com.
