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Volume XXVII Number 32 August 8, 2003

FrontPage Stories

Smiley Rodriguez Fighting a War to Save Lives

By Raymond R. Beltran

Smiley Rodriguez was only five years old, living in Puerto Rico, when a man snuck into her mother’s bar while they were asleep. She vaguely remembers any specific details about that night, except that the windows at the bar were old fashion, double-doors made out of wood, no glass. At the time, Smiley was living in poverty, and her mother was a cook working from one restaurant to the next, then finally finding a job in a local bar where they also lived. The man crept through the archaic-style window without having to break any glass or wake the mother. He stepped over to the couch where the five year old slept, climbed on top of her and raped her.

Smiley Rodriguez (left) with girlfriend Shelley Dakia (right) volunteering at last Saturday’s Gay Pride Festival.

To this day, 39 year old Smiley Rodriguez does not remember the face of the man that has since had a devastating impact on her life, nor has she ever reported the incident to her mother or any officials. While leaving the scene, the rapist probably did not know, or care, that what he was leaving behind was a child branded for life by the idea of defeat, self loathing, and a future ravaged by molestation, prostitution, drug abuse, and AIDS.

For the rest of this story, please follow this link:

Project directors hits the streets with HIV, drug use education
PARA works to inform drug users of risk
 By Joseph Pena
From where we stand, Jose Urrea says, we can buy a pound of crystal meth, a pound of cocaine, a pound of heroine, perhaps 100 pounds of marijuana—all within walking distance.

Brazil, Not U.S., May Lead World Fight Against HIV
 By Marcelo Ballve
Two nations this year, Brazil and the United States, announced new HIV prevention strategies with sharply divergent styles. Politics and ideology account for the differences.

Cruz Should Be On California Ballot
 Reprinted from:
Vida en el Valle
August 05, 2003 - Lt. Gov. Cruz M. Bustamante disappointed his supporters when determined that he would not challenge the ruling by Secretary of State Kevin Shelley that a recall election of Gov. Gray Davis had to include a list of replacement candidates. Two weeks ago, Bustamante had hinted that he would abide by a yes or no vote on Davis, meaning that the Dinuba, Ca. native could automatically become governor if Davis loses the recall vote.

California’s Recall Election: Good For The Greens?
 By Marcelo Rodriguez
California’s embattled Gov. Gray Davis has characterized an attempted gubernatorial recall as a “Republican coup,” but the actual outcome of the October 7 election could be a coup of a totally different sort: a victory for those who reject both political parties.

First Person
My evil twin
 By Guillermo Gómez-Peña
For 20 years I was a US “resident alien” and the fact that I was one of the best known Latino performance artists in the country, didn’t exonerate me from having “to show my stinking badges” every time I returned from performing abroad. But I learned to be extremely cool and to not mistake racism for personal humiliation.

Stories

Visita San Diego el Secretario de Gobernación, Santiago Creel
 Ante la comunidad empresarial de esta frontera abordó temas como el acuerdo migratorio, la votación y la matrícula consular
Por Mariana Martinez
El Secretario de Gobernación, Lic. Santiago Creel Miranda visitó la ciudad de San Diego para reunirse con importantes empresarios México-Americanos, en la Cuarta Exposición de Negocios Latinos: Un evento de conferencias y exposiciones a lo largo de todo el día, que culminó con una cena de honor, en el Hotel Hyatt, en la que el Lic. Creel recibió el reconocimiento a su trabajo en materia migratoria; el Internacional Tribute, 2003, de manos del Presidente del Centro de Negocios Mexicanos Leon Reinhart. En la invitación a dicho evento se identifica a Creel como precandidato para la presidencia de México en las elecciones del 2006 pero al preguntarle sus planes responde esquivo: “Estoy muy contento siendo secretario de gobernación por el momento... yo estoy muy contento trabajando para el presidente Fox”.

La patrulla fronteriza arrestó y deportó a una familia que esperaba afuera de la sede del Consulado Mexicano en San Diego
Por Mariana Martinez
El pasado viernes 1ro de Agosto, a las 6:50 de la mañana la familia Baylón Casarrubias esperaba junto con más de sesenta personas que la sede diplomática mexicana se abriera para tramitar pasaportes y matrículas consulares. Algunos funcionarios de la embajada recuerdan la presencia de la patrulla fronteriza K2116 estacionada en una esquina cercana. Desde ahí, los agentes se acercaron a la sede consular para pedir a las personas ahí esperando, una identificación.

Diabetes Is 2 to 3 Times More Common Among Hispanics Than Whites; Cultural Understanding Could Combat It
 National Hispanic Medical Association Unveils Findings on Cultural Competence at Congressional Briefing
Doctors and their Latino patients face barriers to effective diagnosis and treatment –including lack of trust and understanding, personal biases and language– that can undermine the care and health of millions of Americans.

Encuesta de NCM en Todo el Estado Revela que los Inmigrantes Califican a la Atención Médica como Preocupación Número Uno
SAN FRANCISCO — Puede ser el secreto mejor guardado en la legislación estadounidense -un secreto que está evitando que millones de californianos obtengan atención médica de calidad.

LA COLUMNA VERTEBRAL
Por Beverly Lyles
Un Simple Exámen Puede Salvar la Vida de Miles de Latinas Cada Año
¿Sabías que las Latinas presentan un mayor riesgo de cáncer cervical que el resto de mujeres en los Estados Unidos? Es cierto. Las Latinas son diagnosticadas con cáncer cervical y mueren por causa de ello de manera mucho más frecuente que cualquier otro grupo de mujeres en los Estados Unidos, a excepción de las vietnamitas.

Consuelo Puente Miller’s Vision Continuous in Old Town
Since 1971, Consuelo Puente Miller’s vision as a restaurant owner has been to provide quality food and service and to combine it with a warm, relaxed atmosphere that visitors to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park could enjoy. The California Department of Parks and Recreation recently informed her that it has accepted her application for a 10-year renewal of her concession contract to continue operating El Fandango Restaurant in Old Town.

Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary Builds a House in Tijuana
 Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotarian, Al Wanamaker, under the aegis of Project Mercy, led a team of Rotarians to Tijuana to construct an entire house in one day on a completed foundation for the Alatorrre family. Carlsbad Hi-Noon Rotary also, donated $2,600.00 for materials.

Editorials

Editorial:
The Future of Center City Chula Vista in the Hands of a Few
 The direction of the City of Chula Vista is changing. For the past decade or so, the City has focused on building out the eastern part of the city finally reaching the point of saturation. As such the city is now refocusing on the center city of Chula Vista and towards this end the city council is looking at forming a new redevelopment agency. Nothing wrong with that except, the city council has entrusted a newly formed corporation, consisting of a self-appointed few, to create this agency – the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).

Opinion
 Se Aplaude la Ampliación de Medicare, Ahora Extendamos Ayuda a los Hispanos
 Por la Dra. Elena Ríos
WASHINGTON – El Congreso fue merecidamente alabado por aprobar la mayor ampliación de Medicare en los 38 años de historia del programa.

Commentary
 Hispanic Americans: Seeking Opportunity through Free Enterprise
By Hector V. Barreto
A few weeks ago, the Census Bureau announced that Hispanics are now the largest minority group in America, totaling 13 percent of the population, 38.8 million strong.

Commentary
Without overtime pay, workers will be cheated
By Linda Chavez-Thompson
Congress is trying to pull a fast one on your right to overtime pay.

Commentary
 Racial Catch 22 For Bryant
 By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
The instant that Eagle County District Attorney Mark Hurlbert announced that he would file charges of sexual assault against Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, Bryant’s defense attorneys strongly hinted that they might seek a change of venue to Denver County. Though they did not mention Bryant’s race, or the race of his alleged victim, who many assume is white, as a reason to ask for a possible change, race lurked just beneath the surface. He will be prosecuted in Eagle County by a white DA, and likely tried before a white judge, and an all white jury will likely decide his fate.

Tezozomoc Speaks:
 Qué pasó con los good for nothing gringos in Chula Vista? En esta ciudad la gente makes up half of the community yet not one single Hispanic on this redevelopment redesign. You think with two Hispuniccs on the city council they might have said something. Pura madre, no pasó nada....

Etc. Etc. Etc.
Entertainment, Reviews, Sporting news, and other tid bits

La Caída de la Publicidad y el Auge de las RR PP
 Por: Paco Zavala
La Caída de la Publicidad y el Auge de las Relaciones Públicas es una traducción del idioma inglés al idioma español de Raúl del Río, coautor de las versiones en español de todos los libros de Al y Laura Ries y ha trabajado con ellos en el diseño de estrategias de posicionamiento de algunas de las marcas y empresas españolas más conocidas. En 2001, funda la consultoría Del Río & Ries, con oficinas en Madrid y Lisboa.

MACUILXOCHITL"S KIVA
 The Latin Alternative Music Conference – Bigger and Better
 Thomas Cookman and Associates will once again be presenting The Latin Alternative Music Conference. Taking place in Los Angeles, this year, the conference continues to grow and impress. It not only features the biggest names in the continually growing business, but more importantly it provides lesser-established artists a forum for presenting their art.

A ver quién es más macho
S.W.A.T. recorre el conocido estereotipo, y hasta te da Michelle Rodriguez para alardear
Por Jose Daniel Bort
Todos conocemos la escena. El montaje del protagonista preparándose para la batalla, corriendo por la playa y lanzando golpes al saco de Boxeo, quemando toda la estamina que tiene para no volarla en la prueba de fuego. Esta vez le toca a Colin Farrell, que tan solo es un Tom Cruise quince años menor y pidiendo menos dinero, el que demuestra su hombría y valor cuando se le pide que esté de este lado de la justicia en lo que se juegan cien millones de dólares por la captura de un capo de la mafia europea.

Brillante Final del Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival
En una emotiva ceremonia, ha cerrado sus puertas la Séptima Edición del Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. En una sala abarrotada de gente, Edward James Olmos, presidente del Festival, y Marlene Dermer, directora del certámen, han agradecido al público asistente la fidelidad durante estos siete años y han aportado cifras del Festival. Durante 16 días se han podido ver más de 130 películas entre documentales, cortometrajes y largometrajes.

Juegan Varios Premios Por Diversos Concursos
Por: Paco Zavala
Los quehaceres vinculados con el arte y la cultura, muy a pesar de las condiciones que se viven en el país continúan dándose de manera muy activa, ejemplo de esto es lo que a continuación detallamos.

Mosaico de Actividades Culturales en Tijuana
Por: Paco Zavala
Durante el mes de agosto muchos padres de familia comienzan el viacrucis de colocar a sus hijos en las escuelas, debido a la escasés de centros educativos suficientes para albergar la demanda escolar.

Bilingual Reading & Discussion Series @ The Library!
The community is invited to participate in the third of six Bilingual Reading and Discussion Series where stories that unite Latino families in the United States and Latin America are read and discussed on Thursday, August 14 at 7 p.m. in the Turrentine Room of the Escondido Public library, located at 239 South Kalmia Street.

Calendar of Events
 By Berenice Cisneros
“A Place in Time”, is a unique intriguing play about a playwright being conned, and his trip to Hollywood. Old habits started creeping back in, and everyone’s in for a rude awakening. Running August 1 – 31st. General admission $12; Students, seniors and military $10. Call to reserve 264-3391.

Bullfight World
By Lyn Sherwood
An Aging Torero Looks for One More Opportunity
A half century ago, in another world and another time, this reporter saw his first corrida de toros, in Zaragoza, Spain, and was totally captured by the pageantry of La Fiesta Nacional and the artistry that the toreros demonstrated. With the help of future matadores Fermín Murillo and Juan Garcia “Mondeño”, I began training and I loved it.

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