By Daniel H. Muñoz, Jr and Yvette tenBerge
Year 2001, the first year of the new millennium, has passed and it was not a very good year. The paper's headlines chronicled the disasters one after another - Energy Blackouts! School Shootings! Terrorists Attacks! Stock Market Crashes! Troops Sent Into War! And then there were the countless local headlines.
Of all the disasters, though, 2001 will be remember for one day, 9-11, the day two airplanes crashed into the twin towers of New York City's World Trade Center, another crashed into the Pentagon, and civilian heroes forced at fourth plane to crash into an empty field.
For most San Diegans we received the news of the first plane crash via the early morning radio news. As we switched on our televisions, unsure of exactly what was happening, believing it was an accident, we watched in utter disbelief as a another plane crashed into the second tower. It was at that moment that our lives changed forever.
It was declaration of war. The enigmatic face of the enemy came into focus and it was that of Osama bin Laden, the armies of our enemies were defined as the Taliban, their's was a war of terrorism, and their ultimate goal is still unknown.
Our nation unified. We griev-ed as one for the innocent lives lost. We united in our efforts to support those who survived and lost loved ones in this tragedy. Our political leaders acted as one, moving cautiously but quickly in determining a plan of action, that they are carrying out to this day. And the United States demonstrated their will, determination, and patriotism through the prominent display of American flags.
It is with this backdrop that we review the Year 2001 as was seen through the pages of La Prensa San Diego.
January
January 2001 is the last month
that Bill Clinton serves as President. Despite losing the popular
vote, but winner of the all important electorial vote, George
W. Bush is quickly preparing to assume the Presidency by selecting
his cabinet.
Linda Chavez withdraws nomination. In setting up his cabinet, President-elect Bush, as his top Hispanic representative in his cabinet nominated ultra-conservative Linda Chavez to serve as labor secretary. Chavez known for her support of English-only legislation, abolition of affirmative action, and her stance on undocumented immigrants. The selection of Chavez drew criticism from many of the leading Hispanic groups, as well as many within the labor movement who saw her as anti-labor. Chavez withdrew her nomination after it was discovered that she employed an illegal Guatemalan woman.
Judge Federico Castro retires. Superior Court
Judge Federico Castro retires from the bench January 8 after 13
years of service in family, juvenile, and criminal courts. Judge
Castro represented dignity, honor, and wisdom. Judge Castro was
an individual that the Hispanic community could look to as an
outstanding role model.
Horse Race for District Eight Underway. With Juan Vargas' election to Assembly, San Diego City Council District Eight was left vacant. The City council appointed several members of the old staff to run district eight offices until a special election was held in February. Several candidates filed for the office including Kevin Hancock, Richard Babcock, Rafael Ramirez, Ralph Inzunza, Jr, Elias Rojas, and Joe Ortega.
In Memoriam Bert Corona. During the Chicano movement of the `70s there was non more influential, outside of Cesár Chavéz, than Bert Corona. On January 15, 2001 Bert Corona passed away. Corona's legacy went back as far as the "Sleepy Lagoon" murders where he was instrumental in forming the Sleepy Lagoon defense Committee. One of Corona's greatest achievement was the formation of MAPA (Mexican American Political Association) and the formation of CASA (Hermandad General de Trabajadores) where he fought to correct labor abuses.
Illegal but fighting for rights. The nomination of Linda Chavez to serve as labor secretary re-focused attention on illegal immigrants, which highlighted the unions efforts to bolster their ranks by seeking out immigrants to join their ranks. The effort was led by the AFL-CIO and would be an ongoing theme throughout the year as the 2000 Census information continued to flow highlighting the growth of the Hispanic community.
Utilities Engineered Their Own Troubles - Let Them Reap the Costs. The disastrous impact of energy deregulation continues. Out of state energy producers are charging outrageous rates based on market prices, while the distributors within the state are capped as to the price they can charge. Utilities are looking toward the public to bail them out! Meanwhile the state's residents are having to suffer through rolling blackouts as the governor wrestles with this mess.
February
Energy and Crisis - The Golden
State of Contradiction. Weeks of Stage Three Alerts has
the state of California in a depressed mood. Story after
story talks about the state of emergency and the energy crisis.
Rate payers are now paying 60% percent more each month, the distributors
are threatening bankruptcy, and the energy providers are making
millions. While the politicians scramble to salvage the gas and
electric companies, the rate-payers are facing the daunting reality
that they, in the end, will be ones that have to bailout these
companies. Governor Davis does not look good in his handling of
this crisis!
District 8 elections. A special election was called for after Juan Vargas abandoned the seat. While there was a full slate of candidates running for office the predetermined winner had been selected by the power structure. The eventual winner of the seat collected three times more money than all 11 other candidates in the race combined. The monies came primarily from outside interest as well as most of his endorsements. Inzunza Jr. won the seat but not without charges of strong arm tactics by his mentor, Juan Vargas. So much for district only elections allowing the district's community selecting their representative.
Shift in Minority Education Oversight Called Discriminatory. During the first meeting of Republican controlled Committee on Education and the Workforce shifted the oversight of black and Hispanic colleges to a newly created panel which oversees youth violence, child abuse and other social programs. This was a slap in the face to minority communities, separating minority education issues from other higher education issues and lumping them in with social programs. This was a heated issue that would be resolved at a later date.
Behind the Bienvenidos: Bush and Fox Neighbors, Allies with Very Different World Views. Newly elected Bush makes his first foreign visit to Mexico where he will meet with newly elected President Vicent Fox. Both are cut from similar cloth and the meeting goes well. Fox pushes for a new border policy, while Bush is looking to expand NAFTA. The two part with high hopes for the future, only to have the events of 9-11 dash all prospects.
Caldera honored at Myer. With the election of a Republican president it means that Hispanic Louis Caldera loses his appointment, by ex-President Clinton, as Secretary of the Army. Caldera who became the 17th Secretary of the Army on July 2, 1998, was honored at Fort Myer's Conmy Hall. His outstanding contributions to the Army in the areas of transformation, restructuring recruiting and marketing strategies, initiating innovative housing privatization programs, and improving the in-service education opportunities available to soldiers.
UC President Richard C. Atkinson Calls For Ending SAT I Test Requirement at UC. In a groundbreaking announcement UC President Richard Atkinson called the elimination of the SAT I Test as a requirement for students applying to UC's eight undergraduate campuses. The SAT test long considered bias, was described as being unfair by the chancellor.
March
Seniors Keep the Heart of Mexico
Beating Strong in Barrio Logan. Our readers are introduced
to the music of La Rondalla, a group made up of a dozen senior
citizens who meet at the Paradise Seniors Center in Logan Heights.
They share their passion for keeping the songs of their childhood
alive in an ever-changing world.
A Mother's Fight to Turn Loss Into Community's Gain.
The Latino community is reminded that it needs to do its part
in order to save the lives of children suffering from leukemia.
Carmen Delgadillo, a San Diego mother who recently lost her 14
year-old son Scott to leukemia, alerts us to a sad truth: her
son could have been saved had more Latinos registered to become
bone marrow donors. To help explain the donation process,
Maria Huaracha, now an employee of the San Diego Blood bank, shares
her story. In 1998, she donated her bone marrow and saved the
life of a 37 year-old German man.
North County Women Unite to Push Young Latinas Forward. The professional women who make up the North County Latinas Association host the 8th Annual Adelante Mujer Conference. More than 500 junior high and high school-age girls and their mothers listen as professional women guide them through career workshops and share the secrets of their success.
San Diego High School Teams Design Cars of the Future.
Four area high schools present their designs for automobiles of
the future in DaimlerChrysler's annual "Build Your Dream
Vehicle" regional competition. Poway and High Tech High Schools
win first place in the contest that aims to encourage students
to utilize technology and design, and to invent futuristic, environmentally
friendly concept vehicles.
The Women's Movement: San Diego Latinas Continue Carrying the Torch. Women across the country are reminded of the trials faced by the women of yesterday. This March marks the 153rd anniversary of the first Women's Rights Convention. As local women such as Sister Margaret Castro, the Administrator and Director of Religious Education and Youth Ministry at St. Rita's Catholic Church in southeast San Diego, remind us, we have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.
César Chávez Day: A Fiesta Without a Focus? The month culminates with an official state holiday in honor of César Chávez. March 31st was designated as a day to celebrate the late Chicano labor leader who fought tirelessly for the rights of farm workers. What La Prensa discovered, though, is that this "holiday" is anything but a day off for those farm workers whose rights Chávez fought so hard to protect.
April
Hispanic Leaders Fight to Correct
Census Undercut. The political Latino community explodes
over Secretary of Commerce Donald Evan's decision to allow state
governments to use unadjusted Census 2000 data in their redistricting
process. Advocates for using adjusted data, such as Lt. Governor
Cruz Bustamante, believe that not adjusting the numbers could
cost Californians billions of dollars. Most of those who were
undercounted belong to minority racial and ethnic groups, which
has Hispanic organizations demanding that the Census Board be
given more time to continue their analysis efforts.
Hoping for Opportunity to Express 1st Amendment Right.
Bevelyn Bravo, a resident of Lincoln Park, questions the ethics
of the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Why is it that they plaster the neighborhood
with billboards advertising gun shows and not invitations to family-oriented
events? Ms. Bravo points to billboards located at 47th and Market
and 25th and Market. Publishing her letter on the front page results
in the Del Mar Fairgrounds taking down the billboards. By law
they must take down such billboards if even one resident complains.
31st Anniversary of Chicano Park Day. "Todo el poder al pueblo y todo el pueblo al poder," (All power to the people) is the theme of Chicano Park Day's 31st anniversary on Saturday, April 21. Established by Chicano activists on April 22, 1970, Chicano park in Barrio Logan has received international recognition as a major public art site for its colorful, larger-than-life mural paintings which show the past and present struggles of the Mexican and Chicano community. Visitors to the park experience traditional music and dance.
Otay Water Board Caught in a Riptide. And what is life without some measure of scandal? April is the month that the pipes burst for the Otay Water District. In a move that shocks a standing room only crowd, members of the board unanimously bump Jaime Bonilla from his seat as president after he has held office for only 4 1/2 months. Scratching the surface of this situation reveals that most of the board members appear to be double-crossing the community.
May
Re-enactors Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Bang. Historic re-enactors congregate in Old Town this year to celebrate the day on which Mexicans and Mexican-Americans honor their ancestors who fought in the 1862 Battle of Puebla in Mexico. On this day, 2,000 poorly armed men and women successfully defended their town from more than 6,000 French soldiers who were on their way to conquer Mexico City. To help bring us back to this period in history, a dedicated group of volunteers transforms an empty plot of land behind Seeley Stable into a military encampment.
San Diego High School Still Steaming Over Loss of Alfaro.
The concrete steps of San Diego High's downtown campus came to
life Friday morning as an angry crowd of more than 50 students,
parents, alumni, teachers and school board members gathered to
express their outrage at the recent firing of its well-loved principal,
Tony Alfaro. (Pictured) Vice president of the San Diego High Parent,
Teacher and Student Association, Yolanda Escamilla, shares her
anger. She is surrounded by students, parents, teachers and alumni.
San Diego High School Still Steaming over Loss of Alfaro.
May is also the month in which teachers and parents come together
to say, "enough is enough" to the Gestapo-like tactics
employed by the San Diego Unified School District administration.
In response to the firing of San Diego High's well-loved principal,
Tony Alfaro, 50 students, parents, alumni, teachers and school
board members stage a press conference to express their outrage.
Although district officials claim that Alfaro voluntarily resigned
five weeks short of graduation, many, including the outspoken
principal, himself, state that the principal was forced to leave.
Barrio Logan Residents Choked up over Air Quality Report. Residents of Barrio Logan ­ the majority of them mothers with children in tow ­ gather to hear the preliminary results of the California Air Resources Board's 18-month environmental study entitled, "Analysis of Air Toxics Data Collected in Barrio Logan, California, from October 1999 through March 2000." Bob Fletcher, Chief of the Planning and Technical Support Division of the ARB, reports that although the toxic air pollution levels in Barrio Logan are unhealthy, they are no higher than levels measured in Chula Vista or El Cajon. Mothers of children suffering from extreme cases of asthma and other respiratory problems exchange looks of disbelief. The Environmental Health Coalition had to remind them that Mr. Fletcher is one of the "good guys."
June
Search for Better Life Ends in Unmarked Graves. June is the month in which local activists, clergy, labor organizers, Mexican citizens and residents take to the streets. Holding up white crosses painted with the slogan "No Olvidados" (not forgotten) and a banner which reads: "Would you walk across mountains and deserts for a job? Migrants do; hundreds of them die" they protest the growing number of migrants who die every year in their attempt to cross the border. Operation Gatekeeper, the United States'controversial border policy, was put into place in 1994. An estimated 491 lives were lost due to dehydration, hypothermia and drowning last year, alone.
Parents and Teachers Unite: Bersin's Blueprint Provides Shoddy Foundation for San Diego Kids. Sitting in on San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) board meetings and interviewing countless parents and teachers gives us the low-down on what life is really like within the walls of SDUSD. Since Superintendent Bersin, a non-educator and the ex-"Border Czar," was hired three years ago, the community has been left out of the decision-making process. Among the community's complaints are that Mr. Bersin's literacy-based "Blueprint for Student Success" does not mention any standards, textbooks or curriculum, that high school elective courses will eventually be discontinued, that textbooks which have been rejected by the state board of education have been purchased and that Mr. Bersin has appropriated $62 million in Title 1 funds to run his $100 million reform program.
Board Adopts Active Physics for
9th Graders. The SDUSD board majority, consisting of Ron
Ottinger, Sue Braun and Ed Lopez, votes to implement a controversial
Active Physics program despite protests from parents and science
teachers. Although the board approves the purchase of $1.8 million
in textbooks, significant changes are made to the original proposal
as a result of the concerns raised by the community. Those familiar
with the program call it "comic book" physics due to
its watered-down approach to teaching the science.
Police Tactics Questioned After Death of Mentally Ill
Man. In April 2001, police shot and killed Benjamin Flores,
Sr., a 60 year-old, mentally ill man who was armed with a pair
of scissors. The shooting death of Flores was one of six fatal
shootings during the first six months of this year, alone. A total
of seven shootings occurred for all of last year. The
shootings have taken place in the wake of a serious overhaul of
police policy and tactics such as, outfitting every officer with
non-and less-lethal weapons in the wake of several high-profile
officer involved shootings.
Community Up in Arms over Response to Police Shootings. La Prensa takes a look at the changes that have occurred in relation to police shootings, such as the shooting of Benjamin Flores, Sr., and the community's response to these changes. Some citizens are skeptical of the current review board, which they believe panders to the police. Their concerns echo calls for an independent review board. According to FBI statistics published by the Detroit Free Press last year, the San Diego police department had a higher per capita fatal officer-involved shooting rate (0.61) per 100,000 residents, than Los Angeles (0.56), New York (0.39) or Philadelphia (0.49).
Teachers Have No Confidence in Bersin. The San Diego Education Association, a teachers union made up of 8,500 SDUSD teachers, releases the findings of a six-question survey. The poll aims to assess the level of teacher satisfaction with the current administration, their practices, their programs and their policies. Of the 5,500 educators who returned their questionnaires, 93 percent gave Mr. Bersin a "Vote of No Confidence" and provided descriptions of his character such as "dictator," "close-minded" and "pond scum." As for the performance of the current school board majority (Ottinger, Braun and Lopez), 94 percent have "no confidence" in their ability to guide the district.
July
Renters Crying Foul Ball Over Proposed Ballpark. Over 100 community members and organizers march to raise awareness of a housing crisis, which has already rendered many Sherman Heights families homeless. Residents in this area have been facing a severe housing shortage since 1998, when the advent of the proposed ballpark paved the way for out-of-control real estate speculation.
Ballpark Dreams Leave Residents Homeless. The
six Bautista children provide a look into the lives of the families
who are being forced onto the streets as developers buy property
and clear out families in order to jack up prices. Although their
landlord never made repairs to a run-down piece of property when
the family was living there, the family was kicked out to make
way for a "new owner." A trip to the boarded up house
on 32nd
Street months later proved that it was still empty. According
to Ernest J. Reyes, Chairman of the National Association of Hispanic
Real Estate Professionals, their landlord, is "obviously
an investor."
Educational Programs Sacrificed at the Altar: SDUSD Makes Way for the Blueprint. The Sherman Heights Community roars as SDUSD district administration and the new principal of the elementary school, Valerie Voss, redirect millions of dollars from programs like SABER, an initiative that, for the past eight years has created a "wellness system of social support, health education and promotion for Sherman children and families." Trustee John de Beck, a member of the school board since 1990, sums up the reason that programs such as these are disappearing all together: "Robbing programs to support the Blueprint is a mandate."
Dollars for Fox, Votes for Bush. Mexican President Vicente Fox suddenly tones down his demand for amnesty for some three million Mexican immigrants illegally residing in the U.S. Both U.S. President George W. Bush and President Fox now essentially agree that a guest-worker program is the way to go, even though Fox criticized such a program as piecemeal and unacceptable just one month earlier.
August
San Diego Unified Pulls a Fast One On Sherman Heights Community. The program SABER serves one of the most disadvantaged populations in the San Diego school system. Of the estimated 1,000 students at Sherman Elementary, 89 percent are Latino, 79 percent of these are classified as Limited English Proficient and 99 percent of Sherman's student population qualifies to receive free breakfast and lunch. Despite the program's success within the community, SABER employees describe how SDUSD took more than one million dollars in grant money.
Local Graphic Artist Tells it Like it Is. Local, self-described "graphic artist, activist and amateur propagandist," Joel Mielke, shares his passion for poking fun at or showing support for all things political. Whether he is bemoaning President Bush's grammatical errors, passing out bumper stickers to protest San Diego's decision to invest in a ballpark or pouring his energy into groups like Amnesty International, Mr. Mielke proves that not everyone in San Diego is socially and politically asleep.
Set Free Ministry Opens Arms to Logan Heights. This Los Angeles-based ministry, which serves the "bottom one percentile" of the population, opens its second San Diego County location on the corner of 29th Street and Newton Avenue. Started in 1982 by an ex-con turned pastor named Phil Aguilar, it aims to bring more "outlaws" into the fold. Wade McKinley, once the Director of Missions for the San Diego Southern Baptist Association, has this to say about Set Free: "They are truly servants. They are as New Testament as New Testament can be."
Courthouse "Good-Will Ambassador" Says Goodbye
After 25 Years. An audience of courthouse employees gathers
to honor 80 year-old Ramiro "Rayme" M. Medina, the recently
retired notary republic and "unofficial court ambassador"
who donated 25 years of volunteer assistance to visitors to the
220 West Broadway building. Superior Court Judge Wayne L. Peterson
reads aloud from a plaque to be installed near Mr. Medinass old
"office" ­ a stand across from the information booth
in the courthouse lobby.
Carlsbad Sisters Make History With The Barrio Museum. Lola's
7-Up Mexican Market and Deli, located on the corner of Roosevelt
Street and Walnut Avenue in Carlsbad, pulsates with the sounds
of community life this Monday morning as it has on virtually every
weekday morning since it was first opened by the Jauregui family
in 1943. Sunlight beams into the store through propped-opened
glass doors, and Mariachi music serves as a backdrop for the lively
sounds of conversation and cooking coming from within. (Pictured)
Ofie Escobedo flips through some of the many photos in the Barrio
Museum.
September
"Legal Mistake"!: SABER Program Gets Back Grant. Thanks to the persistence of the Sherman Heights community, SDUSD admits that they made a "legal mistake" by appropriating funds from a 21st Century grant worth $195,000 per year for three years. Although SABER was supposed to be allowed to charge against the grant as of March 1, 2001 and the money was supposed to flow as of June 1, 2001, they did not receive the check from the district until Wednesday, January 2, 2002.
Community Speaks Out on Tragedy. The horrific events that occurred in Manhattan, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania on September 11 touched many more lives than the thousands that were lost. In an expression of support, people within our immediate community and the much larger community to which we belong, share their sorrow, thoughts and prayers. The words of Al Manzano of Carlsbad hit home for many San Diegans trying to deal with the tragedy: "I am trying not to be simply angry. It is important to be rational and calm, and to keep sight of our core values."
North County Combats the Commercial
Sexual Exploitation of Children. Part one of a two-part
story on the commercial sexual exploitation of children here in
San Diego County outlines the results of a recently released,
three-year study that shocked the social service and law enforcement
communities. The sexual exploitation of children for money or
to acquire food, shelter or clothing, is routinely happening right
here in our city. This is an introduction to the work that is
being done on behalf of these victimized children, some of whom
are trafficked into the North County region from other countries.
October
San Diego Unified School District
Trustees Threatened with Shooting. On October 5
La Prensa breaks a story which outrages San Diegans
throughout the county. In an e-mail that then Board President
Sue Braun sent to then Vice President Ron Ottinger and others
within the SDUSD administration, she issued a threat against fellow
board members Frances O' Neill Zimmerman and John de Beck: "John
and Frances get so outrageous that they upset the rest of the
board members including me... the only idea I have is to shoot
the both of them. I was thinking of a way to get them both with
one bullet..."
SDUSD Board Crumbling: Community Says "Resign," Latino Coalition Gives "Vote of No Confidence." In front of an audience packed with parents, teachers and community members, Sue Braun issues a formal apology to fellow board members John de Beck and Frances O'Neill Zimmerman. She admits that she made a "terrible error in judgment" and follows this with the statement, "Of course, it was not meant seriously, as the City Schools Police and San Diego Police have found through their investigations." In the second formal vote of "No Confidence" issued in three months, the Latino Coalition states their position: they have no confidence in the implementation of Mr. Bersin and Mr. Alvarado's Blueprint for Student Success.
Local Group Warns Dulces Equal Disaster. The Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) warns San Diegans to steer clear of the popular Dulmex brand bolirindo lollipops, coconut rolls and tamarindo rolls due to their high lead content. According to Leticia Ayala, Lead Prevention Project Coordinator for the EHC, "The paint on these wrappers is lead based, and there are two ways in which people can be exposed. Little kids handling the product often touch their mouths with their hands. Also, the candy, itself, is acidic which causes the lead to leech out into the candy."
New San Diego Unified Board President Stifles Community and Teachers. The SDUSD board's newly elected president, Ron Ottinger, is out to prove that his will not be a "kinder, gentler" reign. Mr. Ottinger is deemed the new board president after a 3-2 vote, a vote from which Trustees John de Beck and Frances O'Neill Zimmerman abstained as per a joint statement issued and dated October 16. As Marc Knapp, President of the San Diego Education Association, approaches the podium to address the board on behalf of district teachers, hundreds of teachers, parents and students silently file down to the floor of the auditorium. Each carries petitions covered with the signatures of community members and district employees demanding the resignation of Ms. Braun. Mr. Ottinger calls for an adjournment of the meeting and police usher the audience out of the auditorium.
November
As we slowly creep back to normality we begin to look forward to the holidays. At the same time we must continue bringing relevant stories to our readers.
UCSD Students Rally for Affirmative
Action. More than 100 students donned black T-shirts emblazoned
with the words "Still separate and unequal." This was
in response to the drop in acceptance rates for ethnic applications
since Proposition 209 went into effect in 1997. The rally was
part of a national campaign to pressure college administrators
to increase their affirmative action efforts.
President tightens U.S. access. President Bush
orders a sweeping review of U.S. immigration to keep suspected
terrorists out of the country. This in turn tightened the security
at the border, which in turn continued the long delays crossing
the border and hurting border businesses.
"Lessons of Liberty": National Veterans Awareness Week. Veterans Day took on a particularly poignant meaning this month as troops continued to be deployed to the Middle East and as Reservist are being called up.
Splitting of INS Proposed. The many roles of the INS by many is viewed as too cumbersome for one agency to effectively handle. Rep. James Sen-senbrenner and Rep. George Gekas introduced a bill that would split the agency into two with different missions. Criticism of the Immigration and Naturalization Service is nothing new but with the failure of the INS in identifying the expired visas of the 19 hijackers the criticism was intensified.
Hilltop Elementary Gets Connected With PacBell Community Grant. Education is a key goal with Pacific Bell and toward this end The Pacific Bell Foundation, in their inaugural year of awarding this grant, made $350,000 in grant money available to community groups who are developing "innovative programs" that use technology for "education, economic and community development issues." We highlighted Hilltop Elementary school and their plans to create the Hilltop Community Media Center.
MALDEF ripped over remap fight. MALDEF challenges with newly redrawn election boundaries charging that the new districts dilute Latino voting strength." In response to this challenge two Hispanic State Senators responded to the MALDEF challenge calling their lawsuit "frivolous and racially divisive." They went on to say that the new districts were supported by 23 of the California's 26 Latino lawmakers.
City of Carlsbad Evicts Migrant Workers In Time for the Holidays. Just in time for the holidays the City of Carlsbad evicts approximately 140 men from their shacks near Agua Hedionda Lagoon. These men work in the fields nearby providing cheap labor for the growers which in turn provides the consumer benefit. Nearby residents and local migrant support groups protested the eviction.
Calling all Santas. For years local LULAC has been feeding 250 families each Christmas. But this year with many of the local donations being diverted to the survivors of 9-11 this leaves precious little for the local charities. Lisa Marguet writes a compelling story documenting the struggles in raising the monies to continue helping these families.
Christmas Wishes. Despite the commercialism of Christmas, the children of Sherman Heights Community Center remind us that not all wishes are elaborate.
Latinas Increasingly Running for, Winning Office. The National Association of Elected Latino Officials found that in 2001 Latinas constituted 38 percent or 1,952 out of the total Latino elected positions across the country compared to only holding 32 percent or 1,661 elected positions in 1996.
December
During the month of December we celebrate La Virgen de Guadalupe with such stories as "The Importance of the Apparitions of Our lady of Guadalupe," and "La Virgen de Guadalupe Unites People of All Ages and Ethnicities: Parade Celebrates Heritage and Culture."
We also wrote about the "Vista Sheriffs Make Christmas Dreams Come True," and "Mariposas Program Matches Sherman Girls With Mentors."
Of more serious note other stories we covered during the month of December included: "Will Mexican Americans Be Cannon Fodder in the War on Terror? Writer Jorge Mariscal ask the question will the war on terror, citing the figure that Mexican Americans now make up 37 percent of all active-duty Marines. "Tangled Roots _ Argentina's Economic Crisis Runs Deep," Marcelo Ballve took a look at the historical and cultural stumbling blocks that have led to economic crisis that has engulfed Argentina. "Agua Prieta's Comité Fronterizo de Obreras," Greg Bloom describes the economic uncertainty of the border and Mexican workers attempts to unionize. And finally we reported on the "Janitors Sweep Through Horton Plaza," a story about the "Justice for Janitors" effort to make holiday shoppers aware of the poverty wages payed and the recent beating of a union organizer by mall security.
This was the year 2001 as we brought it to you through the pages of La Prensa San Diego. It was our intent to inform, to educate, and to entertain. We hope that we have met our goals and look forward to the new year 2002, it has to be better than the last.
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