Young Art Exhibit at La Casita
Apr 1, 2019 Culture, Education, English, Entertaiment, Local
By Ricardo Loubriel
Boys and girls from our community present their new collection of paintings and drawings at the Young Art 2019 exhibition at La Casita Cultural Center. The opening reception will take place on Saturday, April 27 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. This event is free and open to the community. The exhibit will remain on view through June 14.
All the works were produced during the workshops of El Punto Art Studio last February. Two artists from our own community who exhibited their own art in the Cuba exhibition this year, Sanlly and Dalgis Viera, facilitated the workshops that produced this colorful art installation.
In addition to the exhibit, the young talents in La Casita’s music programs will perform live on the piano, violin and guitar as part of the opening celebration. Syracuse University students from the Setnor School of Music were the music instructors this year: Aleksandre Roderick-Lorenz (violin), Mia Tsai (piano) and Sebastian Escribano (guitar).
The young authors of La Casita’s Dual Language Reading Circles, will also be featured at this event. The program will release a new storybook in English and Spanish with an original story by the participants. This is the fourth edition produced by the program, edited by Margot Clark and Tere Paniagua. Olivia Flores, a Political Sciences sophomore at S.U., coordinated and facilitated the reading workshops.
All programs in arts, music and language arts education involve the participation of children from the local Latino communities locally and near Syracuse. The programs are offered at no cost to participants. During the school year, workshops include drawing and painting, bomba and plena dance and drumming, piano, violin, guitar and activities that combine the arts and sciences, facilitated by Ashley Jimenez and her group of engineering students from S.U.
Tere Paniagua, Executive Director of Cultural Engagement for the Hispanic Community, an SU initiative, is in charge of managing La Casita. 
“We are extremely proud of our youth’s accomplishments and deeply grateful for the commitment of our partners and sponsors on and off the Syracuse University campus,” said Paniagua. “The dedication and contribution of SU students volunteering in support of our programs and our children is invaluable and extremely positive.”
The Young Art exhibit is a project of La Casita Cultural Center in collaboration with the Point of Contact Gallery, the Spanish Action League, and the Partners in Learning Manos pre-school program. Support for these program comes from the College of Arts & Sciences at Syracuse University, Mercy Works, Molina Healthcare and Wegmans. This program is supported by funding from the New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA).
Your Stories, Your Library
La Casita’s Bilingual Library is a vital resource for the education programs at the Center. Your Stories, Your Library is a new campaign to raise awareness and support from the community for the work of the library. The bilingual library offers an interactive, program-driven space where students, researchers and community members of all ages learn about U.S. Latino and Latin American literatures and cultures. To support this initiative, please contact La Casita: Tel. 315-443-2151 or email: lacasita@syr.edu.
La Casita is located at 109 Otisco St. Syracuse, NY 13204.
Young Art Exhibit Photo Descriptions
Young Art Exhibit_01 -“Artist Sanlly Viera working with two children at the El Punto Art Studio”
Young Art Exhibit_02 – “Two children working on artwork during the El Punto Art Studio”
Young Art Exhibit_03 – “Young girl working on artwork during the El Punto Art Studio”
Young Art Exhibit_04 – “Young girl and her artwork at the El Punto Art Studio”
Young Art Exhibit_05 – “Painting made by students in the El Punto Art Studio”
Young Art Exhibit_06 -“Painting made by students in the El Punto Art Studio”
How much produce can you buy for $10?
Apr 1, 2019 Education, English, Financial, Health, Local
HEALTH
Vegetables and fruits can fit into any budget! For $10 you can buy 18 portions of vegetables and fruits; 1 cup tomato, 3 cups of green beans, 3 cups of corn, 4 cups of peas, 1 cup of pears and 6 cups of peaches. That’s almost 4 days’ worth of veggies and fruits for one person! Buy fruits and veggies in all their forms – fresh, frozen and canned.
Celebrate the season by purchasing fresh vegetables and fruits when they are in season. They are easy to get, have more flavor and are usually less expensive. Your local farmer’s market is a great source of seasonal produce and they usually start up by June.
Buy frozen and canned year-round, it’s usually picked and packed at its’ peak when its chock full of nutrients. Look for canned or frozen veggies that have not been pre-sauced and say “no salt added”, “low sodium” or “reduced sodium” on the label. Look for fruits canned in juice or light syrup.
Frozen and canned produce is one of the greatest kitchen hacks to save you time in the kitchen; it comes pre-cut and/or pre-cooked! But keep it simple with fresh produce, when you buy these pre-cut, pre-washed, ready to eat and processed foods are convenient, but cost more than when purchased in their basic forms.
The trick to buying all the vegetables and fruits you need to keep your body strong is to make a list before you go to the grocery store. Check the local newspaper, online, and the store ads before you shop. You save money by buying only what you need and getting the best price, leaving more of your food budget for delicious wholesome produce loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Want a side of physical activity with your vegetables and fruits, along with the satisfaction of an amazing accomplishment? Plant your own! Start a garden- in the yard or in a pot on the deck- for fresh, inexpensive, flavorful additions to meals. Herbs, cucumbers, peppers, or tomatoes are good options for beginners. Browse through a local library or online for more information on starting a new garden.
Lastly, plan and cook smart. Prepare and freeze vegetables for soups, stews or other dishes in advance. Add leftover veggies to casseroles or blend them to make soup. Overripe fruit is great for smoothies or baking. There are plenty of ways to make use of all of your veggies and fruits, for more ideas visit www.myplate.org. For more recipes, tips and more also visit www.eatsmartnewyork.org.
17 years of war
Apr 1, 2019 Culture, Education, English, Political
A view from inside Kabul, Afghanistan 17 years of war
by Juan Carlos Salcedo
Afghanistan is a mountainous country in Central Asia with a history and a culture that goes back more than 5000 years. Today, Afghanistan is in a disastrous state: the economy is in ruins, its people are dying of war and famine, and its neighbors are taking advantage of its instability. There have been 3 great world powers that tried unsuccessfully to exercise their power through occupation. The last version was and is the USA in the war against the Taliban from 2001 to the present day.
This time we have a special guest, who will help us understand Afghanistan with Afghan eyes, from Kabul Afghanistan Abdulah Ahmadzai.
Is it Worthy to Put your Hands into the Fire for Someone?
Apr 1, 2019 Education, English, Financial
A Moment of Reflection
by Lilia M. Fiallo
José Emilio owner of X-Ruebenxz company, enjoyed great success among the people who knew him for all the money he possessed.
He managed the family’s little wealth that he inherited from his father years ago, since his mother had in one two-three spend maybe about two-thirds of that great fortune in bad business.
He usually drove an old pickup truck to go to work, and on weekends, he took another vehicle. While all this passed, far was he imagining, so many eyes that were keeping an eye on his wealth.
The company remained where much of the day, had a career. His father – the founder, was a man fair and very human. Between supervisors, workers and administrative staff we could count about 30 employees. Under discipline compliance and good reputation, José Emilio, spend his early years of work beside his father.
José Emilio believed that he knew each one of the employees who were there for years. On the death of his father, his sister and his mom, they decided that he will remain in the management. His brother only knew the life of waste, so he was never going to take part in the direction of the family heritage. Once José Emilio took possession of the management, the secretary informs him that Maria, a former employee, wanted to talk to him. José Emilio did not hesitated in receiving her in his office. The purpose of the visit had a request, a request out of place:
“Look Sir, I ask you for a favor that when I die, don´t forget my son in-law…” After the first visit, came many more, with the same request, to which he responded:
“Don´t worry, we will see…” Nothing and no one know, when a person will die! he thought. But the day came. Maria died. A few days after the funeral, appeared the son-in-law. José Emilio’s secretary informs him, that there is a man, which claims to be Maria’s son-in-law and wants to talk to him. As if it were a theatrical piece, it was true; there was the son-in-law. José Emilio – long ago, thought: “well, and why this insistence of Maria? and if it becomes true, what can do I with this individual, I don’t know? What job will I put him at?
He attended the visit of the subject and intended to resolve the matter in the best way, but a tremendous nightmare found. He heard him and gave him an appointment for a few days later.
Maria was no longer with them, and if the son-in-law was not Archangel, who would he claim; he wondered… He threw everything on, and decided to!
When the subject returned, he confessed that because he was Maria’s relative, he will deposited all his trust in him and Jose Emilio give him a vehicle of his property so he was able to mobilize, engaged in any activity of removals or home services, enclosing also a check for $ 350, to initiate an activity, provided care for the truck and provide it with a $100 monthly payment, as a lease vehicle. The subject was happy.
While he spent the first month, the subject communicated with José Emilio continuously. He said that he had decided to move to the border to bring goods to sell at a good price, and so, give him $200 each month, and not as they had agreed. The Manager of the company, believed firmly.
Passing one month, the subject in question gradually ceased to call and did not answered the phone. By the end of the second month and his whereabouts became a mystery. He changed the phone number and was gone. José Emilio filed a complaint against the subject for fear he was making improper use of the truck. At the end of two years Jose Emilio received a call. It was a character from a parking lot, which called him to inform him, that there was a car as under the name of José Emilio who had a debt of two years of parking fees for being on its premises. Without knowing, what problems there might be, he traveled 1,000 miles from here, to the site where the individual who was the truck had told him.
Once he got there, the payment for the alleged parking and taxes exceeded $5,000. It was then where José Emilio thought: What hatched Maria with her son-in-law? If we all have intelligence and hands to work, why there are people who want to take advantage pretending poverty and misery? Why are people looking coldly those who come to ask for a help or money?
And he answered quietly: “Right now I understand why so many people are indifference of someone’s need and that really needs it and maybe is doing good”.
Lilia M. Fiallo was born in Bogotá, Colombia, where, between tasks and free time, she found a place to write about subjects, somehow forgotten by others. With gold letters engraved in her memory, she began her working life, in the heart of the technical part, of the air traffic control of her native country. In the midst of aeronautical phraseology and codes, the world of aviation gave her one of the highest experiences, because of the precision required by this craft, where a single mistake could cost many lives. It is there, where in her concern to communicate her ideas, she begins to write with dedication, themes a little relegated by society, the Church and the State. Discovering a truth that nobody wants to talk about, but much more real and every day, than it seems. It is thus, as it appears, her first work, “Parir por parir”. You can find her book at for sale in Amazon and if you want to connect with her send her an email to lilianim2003@yahoo.com.
Latina Leaders – WISE Latina 2019
Apr 1, 2019 Business, Culture, Education, English, Financial, Health, Local
Join us at this year’s WISE Latina session, “Latina Leaders Expanding the Definition of Health”
Date: April 25th, 2019
Time: 12:00 – 1:30pm
Location: Sky Armory
WISE Latina 2019 Featured Speaker is Carmen M. Peña, M.A., Coach & Motivational Speaker
Join fellow Latina professionals and entrepreneurs from throughout New York State at this year’s WISE Latina Conference at the WISE Symposium. Bright and successful mujeres from Syracuse, Rochester, Albany, Utica and New York City will be attending, and we’re excited to host you too. Our 2019 program will feature a prominent Latina who is Leading the way and expanding the definition of health. She will guide attendees in creating a plan to live a life that is Meaningful to them and impacts their families, their communities, their businesses and the world around them. This year’s event will offer reflections on both personal and business growth, while offering practical tips and tools for becoming Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise.
This year’s focus is on the personal search to expanding the definition of health within in order to find Physical, Mental, Emotional and Financial Health, and the wisdom to lead the way. We will creatively encourage women to seek out practical ways to launch successful business enterprises through which they can positively impact their own sustainability as well as that of their communities. We’re looking forward to seeing you at this year’s session. All women are bienvenidas.
Carmen’s solution-oriented, positive approach will help us discover how to form healthy habits that lead us to achieve our goals. She will be speaking on self-empowerment, mindfulness, and how to transform into the best version of ourselves. The intention is to have Latinas leave the event feeling good, with increased confidence and a clearer vision of the action steps necessary to get to the next level of their dreams and goals successfully.
For price and to view the full WISE SYMPOSIUM agenda go to www.wisesyracuse.com or read more about WISE Latina at www.wiselatina.org
ALL WISE LATINA ATTENDEES CAN ATTEND THE ENTIRE SYMPOSIUM WITH THEIR TICKET.
TICKETS FOR OUR SESSION ARE COORDINATED VIA MARISOL HERNANDEZ, WHO COORDINATES WITH THE SKY ARMORY TO SECURE OUR GROUP’S ENTRY. PLEASE EMAIL MARISOL AT MHERNANDEZ@WISELATINA.ORG TO SECURE YOUR WISE LATINA & SYMPOSIUM TICKET TODAY!
WISE Latina ticket includes full access to the WISE Symposium (8:00am to 5:30pm) continental breakfast, lunch, breakout sessions and cocktail party. The WISE Symposium is an event produced by The Events Company in partnership with WISE Women’s Business Center and SKY Armory. WISE Symposium ticket holders can attend WISE Latina at lunch time without additional expense.
Want to know more? We’ll share the WISE Symposium speaker’s full bios in our next update and on our Facebook Event Page!
We want to hear from you! Before and during the event, please Tweet out your pictures, saludos and responses using the WISE Latina Hashtags:
#wiselatina2019 or #wiselatina or #wise2019
Are you a Spanish speaker? We will offer FREE Spanish translation throughout the event so you can enjoy the conference, even if Spanish is your first, preferred or only language.
Are We Latinx, Latin, or Latino?
Apr 1, 2019 Education, English, Local
by Maximilian Eyle
It is no secret that languages are constantly in flux. Some changes happen gracefully, like the slang that evolves from generation to generation. Other shifts can create divides between speakers of a language and illustrate sharp differences in how we perceive our identities and our surroundings. One such example is the term Latinx, which is a fascinating example of how contemporary ideas of gender equality and sexual identity can conflict with longstanding linguistic traditions. The results of this conflict have yet to be determined.
There are two primary claims for why we should adopt the term Latinx. The first is that the commonly used Latino presumes masculine dominance. Put another way, why should we use the masculine suffix when half the population is female? The second point is that it is becoming more commonly acknowledged that some people do not wish to identify as male or female. The x suffix acknowledges this ambiguity. Though the term has been in use on the internet since 2004 if not before, its popularity has increased – particularly on college campuses.
Those who oppose the term are quick to point out some of the challenges it creates. Spanish is fundamentally based on a binary and gendered system. Every noun is either masculine or feminine, and in the case of people – mixed groups of men and women are always referred to in the masculine. A 2015 article in The Phoenix asked: If Latinx became standard, what about other plural nouns? Would we have to say niñx instead of niños or hermanx instead of hermanos? It has also been pointed out that an already common word, Latin is gender neutral and could achieve many of the same goals as Latinx while fitting more naturally within the Spanish linguistic tradition.
I invite anyone reading this to write in with your opinion. Do you think Latinx is an important word to incorporate into the Spanish vocabulary? Are we better off sticking with Latino or Latin? Are there other issues that we have not touched on in this article? Please send your thoughts in to maxeyle@gmail.com
Maximilian Eyle is a native of Syracuse, NY and a graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He works as a media consultant and writes each month about a variety of issues for Spanish-language papers across New York State. Maximilian has a love of Hispanic culture and learned Spanish while living in Spain where he studied and worked as an English teacher. He can be contacted at maxeyle@gmail.com.
Savor the Flavor of Eating Right!
Mar 12, 2019 Education, English, Health, Local
HEALTH
by SNAP-ED
March is National Nutrition Month! A perfect time to celebrate the healthy and wholesome meals that bring us together with the people we care about. Healthy family meals make meaningful memories and lead us to long healthy lives.
Make sure to enjoy everything that comes with eating a meal; be mindful of what you see, smell, and taste as well as the conversation and fun you are having. All of this 
adds up to developing an overall healthy eating plan.
Healthy eating isn’t hard, here’s a few ideas to get you thinking:
• Change things up! As a family, commit to trying a new fruit or vegetable every week during March. You never know, you might even find a new favorite snack!
• Get the family together for at least one meal a week. Work together and let kids help too. For even more fun, try a themed dinner night!
• Take Your Time. Be mindful to eat slowly, enjoy the taste and textures, and pay attention to how you feel. Use hunger and fullness cues to recognize when to eat and when you’ve had enough.
• If you eat out, choose healthier options. Remember that preparing food at home makes it easier to control what is in your meals.
• Limit treats. Treats are great once in a while. Just don’t make treat foods an everyday choice. Limit sweet treats to special occasions.
Healthy eating doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or tradition, instead, it means making small changes to add nutrition and flavor to your food.
• Switch to a whole grain cereal like oatmeal.
• Start a change to lower fat milk. Gradually change from whole milk to 2% to 1% to skim.
• Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruits. A variety of different colored produce is recommended in order to obtain the different nutrients they provide. Whole fruits and vegetables are also good sources of dietary fiber. Remember all forms count – fresh, frozen, canned and dried.
• Choose lean proteins like fish, chicken and dried beans and peas.
• Use less salt. Liven up your meals with herbs, spices, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and pepper.
Develop an eating pattern that includes nutritious and flavorful foods, while also taking the time to enjoy everything that a healthful and tasty meal brings with it. That’s the best way to savor the flavor of eating right! For recipes, tips and more go to www.eatsmartnewyork.org.
This material was funded by USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This Institution is an equal opportunity employer.
