Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School » Community

Gentrification and belonging (presentation)

admin — Thu, 06 May 2010 19:34:57 +0000

Gentrification and belonging 431 final-3.ppt

This Spring the students of CHSC 431: Community Assessment, a graduate-level core UIC School of Public Health class engaged in a collaborative learning experience with students and faculty at Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School to conduct a community health assessment of Humboldt Park. The UIC SPH class of nearly 40 students broke into six groups of students to assess separate health areas identified by PACHS as important – gentrification/sense of belonging; issues of LGBTQ youth, physical activity, nutrition, young women’s sexual/reproductive health, and health literacy/diabetes. Each group engaged in a mixed method assessment modeling the assessment component of the Mobilizing Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) process typically carried out by local health departments. Each group had at least two members engaged in an ongoing community learning experience so as to better discern community perspectives with respect to their health topic. The learning experience ranged from to engaging/facilitating small group learning to facilitating a schoolwide survey to volunteer coaching of a youth sports club. Existing quantitative data on population demographics, health status and health behavior were analyzed in light of qualitative data from key informant interviews, participant observation or focus groups (debriefing groups) gathered from community engaged learning experience characterizing/contextualizing the health topic. Preliminary findings were discussed at Humboldt Park Library 4/21 and 4/28.

72 Block Humboldt Park Diabetes Initiative

elias — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:39:39 +0000

M. Trujillo is an active parent of the Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School family. She has dedicated many volunteer hours and was a participant in a certification program on Diabetes in the Puerto Rican community. The article below reflects her experiences as a successful participant in the program.

72 Block Humboldt Park Diabetes Initiative
Diabetes in Humboldt Park has been growing in alarming rates. Twenty percent of the community has been diagnosed with diabetes. Therefore a new program named 72 Blocks, a “block by block” initiative, has taken affect to educate the people about diabetes and how to live healthy. A group of agencies have gotten together to promote the project.

In 2008 it was recorded that 24 million Americans were living with diabetes. Of those 24 million, 11.8% are African Americans 10.4% are Latinos, while 6.5 million people age 20 and older remain undiagnosed.

Block by block project steering committee is comprised of the project ‘s co-principals investigators (Steve K. Rotshchild and Jose Lopez), the executive directors’ of pueblo sin fronteras, (Emma Lozano) and the Greater Humbolt Park Community of Wellness (Juana Ballesteros), the director of the Sinai Urban Health institute (Steve Whiteman) and the Block-by-block project director Jaime Delgado.

This campaign targeted to educate and promote awareness of diabetes in our community. The program is geared to improve the quality and quantity of life by motivating our community to develop healthy eating habits, as well to become more physically fit.

The campaign will establish a community diabetes empowerment center which is going to be located at La Estansia building on the corner of Division and California. At this location, there will be events, Information, services, and activities.

Come and take action! There is only one life to live and let’s live it healthy!

Megan Garcia and Marisol Roman, graduates of Pedro Albizu Campos High School, participated in a training program where they learned about how to educate people about diabetes prevention and treatment. Those studies took place at Norwegian hospital.

Megan Garcia said, “My experience was educational, I learned that diabetes is not only hurting the community but it runs in her family. My grandfather has past away because of diabetes and my aunt was diagnosed with the chronic disease. Now I know how to take care of myself and my family and because of this I feel closer to the community.”

Marisol Roman stated. “My experience with the 72 block by block program has been a very important experience as well. I came into this project not knowing much about diabetes, and while working with Dr. Steve Rothschild and Jaime Delgado I have learned life-changing skills to better my health as well as the health of other people from the community whether if you have diabetes or if you know someone with diabetes. Now that I took this training I’m comfortable and confident in talking to people about diabetes and that being part of this training, has been both beneficial and honorable.”

I myself, a current parent of one of the students at Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School, felt that the experience was very educational and I learned a lot about diabetes. I now know how to eat healthier and how to be involved in the community to help others that have diabetes or are at high risk in getting diabetes and how to prevent it. It was a wonderful experience!

What is diabetes? Any of several metabolic disorders marked by excessive discharge of urine and persistent thirst , esp. diabetes melliitis: a chronic disease of pancreatic origin marked by insulin deficiency that results in excess sugar in the blood and urine. This definition is from The American Heritage dictionary.

Don’t Miss The New Exhibit By Osvaldo Budet At The Institute Of Puerto Rican Arts And Culture “IPRAC”

elias — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:56:54 +0000

“Romantic Political Affair”
The exhibit will close on March 5, 2010

3015 W Division St.
Chicago, Illinois 60622

IPRAC’s hours are:
10am – 5pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday
11am – 3pm on Saturday
Closed on Wednesday & Sunday

Walkie Talkies Donated by 13th District Commander Judith Martin of the CPD

elias — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:22:43 +0000

With all of the security problems that have been seen in the City of Chicago, not only have our parents stepped it up to “protect the school”. Commander of the 13th District Chicago Police Department Judith Martin has also risen to the occasion. Last year, Commander Martin played a critical role in supporting the school and the community in providing a corridor for our students to arrive and depart from school safely.

One aspect of Commander Martin’s support this year, included donating six brand new walkie-talkies for the school to maintain clear communication during their security coverage. This is just one example of Commander Martin’s vision for how to work to resolve crime in the community. She provided our school with the tools we needed to do our jobs more efficiently. With ongoing collaboration of this nature, much will be possible in our efforts to make a safe community that takes responsibility for its own problems.

Hats off to Commander Martin.

PACHS Celebrates the PPP!

Raymond — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:40:53 +0000

On June 20, 2009 Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School, celebrated the Puerto Rican Peoles Parade. The school celebrated by creating an amazing float dedicated to the theme “Community of Wellness”. The float was surrounded by athletic vejigantes, electric bomba dancers, dedicated coffee pickers, not to forget the countless number of vejigantes that flew around on bicycles.

The beautiful tribute to wellness was made possible by the staff of PACHS, but could not have been accomplished without the dedication and leadership of Brenda Torres and Vidia Rodriguez. Brenda Torres (PACHS Art teacher) was the brainchild behind the school’s participation and direction. She designed the majority of the items the school used/wore. Vidia Rodriguez was the master seamstress behind the costumes and even found time to teach some of the staff how to sew, so they could help create.

PACHS Board Meeting

Raymond — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:53:56 +0000

Who: Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School Board of Directors

What: End of the year Board Meeting

Where: 2739 W. Division (Cafeteria)

When: July 1, 2009 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Why: The board meets four times a year (every quarter)

Ciclo Urbano Open’s On Division

Raymond — Sat, 16 May 2009 20:45:40 +0000

Humboldt Park’s Ciclo Urbano from Tu Multimedia on Vimeo.

On May 1st, 2009, our students, staff, Mucca Pazza and hundreds of excited residents on bike and foot, celebrated the Grand opening of Ciclo Urbano. Jose Luis Rodriguez, Brenda Torres and Samuel Rivera were interviewed.

“Community Beat” had this to say…

West Town Bikes has found a new home at 2459 W. Division, just west of Western at the eastern end of Paseo Boricua. Hundreds of urban bikers, youth and residents of West Town and Humboldt Park turned out on Friday night to celebrate the grand opening of the new space, which will house a retail store as well as more space for West Town’s well-known workshops in bike mechanics and training programs for youth in bike repair and safety while riding.

Longtime educator, advocate of Puerto Rican independence, and neighborhood leader Jose Lopez spoke during the opening ceremonies, welcoming Ciclo Urbano to the neighborhood and emphasizing how the new venture builds on the existing community. “Ciclo Urbano…is the very idea we can incorporate bicycling into Fiesta Boricua. We can integrate the experience of bicycling with tours of our murals.” Lopez reminded the crowd that building community “cannot be [done] by erasing our history, erasing our murals, erasing and criminalizing our youth. … There’s a different way to build community.”

http://communitybeat.blogspot.com

100 x 35 is a big success!

Raymond — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 20:55:09 +0000

Students and former students help the Puerto Rican Cultural Center celebrate their culminating event.

Students were tour guides talking about things they experience everyday.

La Bruquena is the “Puerto Rican Consulate”

Raymond — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:16:45 +0000

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-bruquena_city_zonefeb20,0,146493.story

Puerto Rican restaurant houses heart of community
By Ofelia Casillas | Tribune reporter
February 20, 2009

If Paseo Boricua is Humboldt Park’s central business vein, then it leads to La Bruquena, what many consider the community’s heart.

For two decades, the restaurant on Division Street has served as a makeshift community center—the first stop for people newly arrived from Puerto Rico and the place to find out what is going on within the local Puerto Rican community.

Not only can new residents enjoy authentic Puerto Rican fare they believed could be found only back home, but they can get help with directions, locating relatives and finding a job. The restaurant has even been the site of weddings and a gathering spot after funerals.

“We call it the Puerto Rican Consulate,” said Zoraida Tañon, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Roberto.

Ald. Billy Ocasio said La Bruquena provides an invaluable service.

“It makes our job easier,” he said. The restaurant acts like “a bulletin board where everything gets posted and everyone can go to find out information,” he said.

The restaurant, at 2726 W. Division St., is along Paseo Boricua, the city’s Puerto Rican business corridor.

The restaurant used to have a sign in an archway with the common Hispanic welcome, Mi casa es su casa. But the sign broke, and Tañon didn’t bother to replace it. People already knew they were home because they could feel it, she said.

Ivette Gonzalez, 57, a teacher who lives on the South Side and has been coming to La Bruquena for years, said, “It’s sort of a little cultural center. Every time I come here, it brings back memories of my childhood growing up on Division Street.”

In a predominantly Puerto Rican neighborhood where longtime residents see cherished memories threatened by new condos and other development, the restaurant is a reminder of the neighborhood flavor many want preserved.

La Bruquena has become a cultural sanctuary of sorts, as signs in some shop windows along Paseo Baricua read, “Not for Sale.”

“My mother used to come here,” said Walter Flores, 31. As the neighborhood gentrifies, restaurants like La Bruquena become more meaningful, he said.

On a recent sleepy Tuesday afternoon, the smell of garlic and onions hung in the air.

Joel Feliciano, 23, a server for three years, greeted patrons with “Buenas tardes,” and punctuated the serving of meals with “Buen provecho,” or enjoy. Two elderly gentlemen sitting near front windows waved to friends outside as they drank their beers.

Feliciano said patrons feel comfortable. “Like you’re going to one of your neighbors’ houses in Puerto Rico,” he said.

Raymond Souchet Jr. calls it family oriented. On warm Thursday nights, bikers night, he and other members of the Chicago chapter of the Latin-American Riders Association hang out at the restaurant.

“You can go there if you are down and out and they will look out for you,” said Souchet, 51.

Javier Reyes, 34, a banker, recalled when he was moving to Florida two years ago and trying to get a renter for his house. All he had to do was tell the owners of La Bruquena and he soon had trustworthy tenants. Reyes said the owners also have introduced him to potential clients.

Enrique Salgado Jr., executive director of the Division Street Business Development Association, said La Bruquena is a neighborhood institution. In the 1960s, bodegas and shops along Division Street served as addresses where people could get mail or phone calls from relatives in Puerto Rico.

“La Bruquena still carries that tradition,” he said.

Ocasio said the restaurant owners are a great resource because they know many of the city’s leaders. The restaurant also makes great mofongo, he said. The dish, mashed fried green plantains and pork seasoned with garlic and olive oil, is one of his favorites.

Teresa Rivera, 24, a student who comes to the restaurant when she longs for her grandmother’s cooking, said the owners’ helpful nature is something cultural.

“As a people we want to succeed,” she said. “We are building each other up to succeed as a community.”

ocasillas@tribune.com

La Voz Del Paseo Boricua has a new issue out

Raymond — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 05:48:52 +0000

We are a part of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, and have many friends, such as La Voz del Paseo Boricua. A bilingual newspaper that is put out every month from community members. CLICK ON THE TITLE TO READ MORE