Commonwealth Club hosts two distinguished speakers

March 13, 2007

Richie Havens: PHOTO BY ACOUSTIC MUSIC

The Commonwealth Club hosts Professor Emeritus, UC and author Chalmers Johnson in conversation with USF Visiting Professor Patrick Lloyd Hatcher on “America’s Imperial Overreach”. A high-profile critic of U.S. military policy overseas, Johnson will discuss how the nation’s actions are undermining its political and economic strength.

This free event will be held on Tuesday, March 6 at Fromm Hall, USF. Check in begins at 5:30, and the program is followed by a wine and cheese reception at 7 p.m. For more information call (415) 597-6734.

Chairman and CEO George Halvorson of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals will present a plan to improve the quality of care and patient safety. Halvorson has over 30 years of health care management experience and is the author of three books on health care.

The event is Wednesday, March 7 at the Commonwealth

Club, 595 Market St., 2nd floor in San Francisco. Cost is $12 for members and $18 for non-members. The program is preceded by a 5:30 p.m. reception. For information call (415) 597-6734.

Rich salsa to dance and lessons to learn Under new tion Roccapulco Superclub invites him to once and for all to learn the rhythm of salsa. If you do not know, come and lose the shyness learning the key steps to be able then say: “ Yes, I dance salsa”. Every Wednesday salsa dance classes for two hours from 8 p.m. Cover charge. At 3140 Mission Street, SF CA 94110. www.roccapulco.com

Save the date

Each day this week over a hundred people have turned out to Stop the Immigration Raids and call for Legalization for All in front of the Immigration Building in downtown San Francisco, in spite of the rain and cold weather!

This Friday we need you and all your people to come out and support immigrant rights on International Women’s Day, Thursday, March 8 2007 MUA, the Women’s Collective, POWER and DataCenter will release Behind Closed Doors: Working Conditions of CA Household Workers From 11 to 1pm in the Women’s Building, 3453 s18th St, SF.

Mana to create awareness about global warming in megaconcert

March 13, 2007

by Tracie Morales

Alejandro Fernández

GLOBAL WARMING: Mexican rock band Mana will stage one of more than 100 live acts scheduled July 7 as part of the Live Earth mega concert to create awareness about global warming. Performances will be held in Australia, Brazil, China, England, Japan, South Africa and the United States.

TELEMUNDO: Television personality llia Calder6n ended her stint as a host on Telemundo’s morning program “Cada Dla Gon 7Maria Antonieta,” where she presented health and lifestyle topics. The Colombian journalist has covered high-profile events including the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq war.

NOT-SO-DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE: Parisian wedding bells are ringing for Mexican-American actress Eva Longoria and basketball star Tony Parker. According to reports, the wedding invitation reminded guests to have passports ready for a Paris wedding scheduled July 7 in an undisclosed location.

CROSSOVER: Her success and popularity is undisputable in America. Now, Beyoncé Knowles wants to conquer the Latin world with a Spanish-language album that has paired her with music heavyweights Alejandro Fernandez and Shakira.

The collaborations will appear on Beyonce’s B’Day Deluxe Edition scheduled for release April 3. The expanded album will contain six Spanish songs including a duet with Fernandez titled “Amor Gitano.” The music video for “Beautiful Liar’ featuring Shakira will also be in the special edition.

ASC AWARD: Mexican cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki was awarded with one of the industries highest honors Feb. 18. The American Society of Cinematographers awarded Lubezki for his work on the film “Children of Men.” This Is Lubezki’s first ASC Award.

FAMOUS B-DAYS: Feb. 18: Singer Herman Santiago of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers celebrated his 66th birthday.

Feb. 19: Actor Benicio Del Toro of Traffic is 40.

Feb. 20: Actor Jay Hernandez of Crazy/Beautiful is 29. Actress Majandra Delfino of Roswell” is 26.

Feb. 22: Actor José Solano of “Baywatch” is 36.

Feb. 24: Actor Edward James Olmos of “Stand and Deliver” is 60. Hispanic Link

Immigrant families protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids

March 13, 2007

by Desiree Aquino

On February 28, hundreds of immigrant families gathered at the San Francisco Immigration Building on Sansome St. to protest the increase in ICE raids nationwide and in the Bay Area. This was the third day of the Week of Action Against ICE Raids for Immigrant Rights.

Several immigrant rights groups denounced ICE tactics of arbitrary interrogation based on racial profiling and detention tactics. Immigrant rights are calling on ICE to stop their operation and on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call for a moratorium on all raids until Congress decides on newimmigration legislation.

Medicare plan services not adequate for limited English proficient callers The National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) has found that prescription drug coverage companies for Medicare beneficiaries in California are not meeting their obligation to provide services in languages other than English. A survey conducted by the NSCLC found that over 60 percent of calls placed never reached someone speaking the language of the caller, and more than 50 percent all calls ended without any attempt by the representative to connect the caller to someone speaking the caller’s language.

Almost 30 percent of California’s one million low-income beneficiaries are limited English proficient.

San Francisco’s universal Health Access Program changes implementation

A program to provide universal health care access for all uninsured San Franciscans will be implemented in phases, to increase the flexibility of local businesses to understand the program and to meet the health car needs of their employees.

The ordinance adjusts the phasing of participation in the program, with the Health Access Plan beginning on July 1 as the first phase of enrollment for the most vulnerable, uninsured residents. The second phase begins January 1, 2008 for individuals whose participation is funded by employers.

Local group urges community to stop Oakland high school closure

Education Not Incarceration (ENI) is urging Bay Area community members to take action to prevent the closure of East Oakland Community High School (EOC). The group supports EOC because it represents ENI’s four point program to stop students from being pushed out of school and into prison.

A march and rally were held on February 28 to the Oakland School Board meeting. ENI is urging community members to contact School Board Members, Mayor Ron Dellums and the State Appointed Administrator.

San Mateo County presents 2007 Adolescent Report

The Health Department and Youth Commission of San Mateo County presented the 2007 San Mateo County Adolescent Report to the Board of Supervisors on February 27.The report provides a snapshot of the health of County youth and recommends policies to improve health.

The report found San Mateo County lacking in developmental assets around youth and adult partnerships and mentoring opportunities. The report is available online at www.smhealth.org/hppp.

Hispanics merchants inaugurate Latino supermarket

March 13, 2007

by Marvin J. Ramírez

Carmen Ibarra, Anastacio Ibarra, Yanelly Ibarra, Audelio Maldonado, sobrinos (Tiffany, Miguel, David, Melanie, Carlos) Mario Ayar, Angel Ibarra,Mario C. Panoringan, Georgette Sarlers (cutting ribbon), Michael P. Guingona, Maggie Gómez (Daly City Mayor).

After a mild battle with some merchant neighbors and a substantial financial effort, a San Mateo County Mexican-descent family fulfilled their dream of establishing what they call a full-service supermarket Latino in Daly City.

So finally, Daly City Market, which intends to provide Latinos and other ethnic groups a neighborhood- type service and convenient close-to-home with Latin American products, was inaugurated in a grand fiesta with mariachi music and great support by many in their community.

Georgette Sarles President of Colma Chamber of Commerce, joined by family members, dozens of fiends, members of the Daly City Council, and most importantly, prospect shoppers, who flooded the store tosupport the new market and take a 10-percent off offered that day, cut the grand-opening ribbon on Saturday, Feb. 24.

-“I know now where I can buy Latino products in Daly City,” said Daly City Mayor Maggy Gómez, while tasting sample products given away during the occasion.

“We are very happy that the people are responding,” said Yanelly Ibarra, one of the five sisters and two brothers who pour their resources to make this enterprise happen.

After a soft opposition from the local 7/11 store chain opposing the issuance of their liquor license, the California Alcoholic Beverage Control approved the Ibarra family their license, which will allow the Ibarra family to sell the coveted Latino beers and wine. The new store offers a meet market, Latin American and Middle Eastern products, including hand-made tortillas.

According to citydata.com, in July of 2005, Latinos comprised 22.3 percent of the total 100,339 Daly City population, and besides of the existing of small grocery stores selling Latino products, this new place will be the Largest Latino market in Daly City.

Latin American gangs – whose story do you believe?

March 12, 2007

by Raúl Damacio Tovares

Raúl Damacio Tovares

This is a story about Latin American gangs – but with a twist. It differs from the ones you’ve been reading in the newspapers and viewing on TV news.

Titled “Youth Gangs in Central America, Mexico and Washington, D.C.: A Transnational Examination,” it’s based on research conducted by the Center for Inter-American Studies and Programs at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México.

Shared by the Washington Office on Latin America last month at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, D.C., it concludes that there is no international network of Latino gangs involved in drug trafficking or other types of crimes.

Its research team found that while youth gangs are a serious community problem both in the United States and in Latin America, the idea of an international cartel dealing in drugs, death and arms is more a figment of the imagination of newspaper and television reporters than a reflection of the actual gang situation.

Interviews with gang members, some of whom were in prison, in five Latin American countries and the Washington, D.C., area revealed that while some gang members in Latin America know someone living in the United States, actual involvement of young people from different countries in organized, criminal activities doesn’t exist.

The study, funded by the Ford Foundation and the Kellogg Foundation, brought together scholars from various Latin American countries. They included Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Colombia, as well as Washington, D.C., and Long Beach, Calif.

Community leaders, police officers and politicians were interviewed. They tended to see the gang problem as serious, but not to the extent reported by the news media. Local media have painted a picture of youth gangs in the “Northern Triangle” as a serious threat to public safety, even to national security.

In fact, these groups of mostly marginalized young men with little education and low-level work skills have few resources at their disposal.

That the news media have managed to fabricate an image of a nefarious, well-organized, wealthy and ruthless organization that casts its net over a multi-country geographic area is a testament to the power of the media and fear and gullibility of citizens.There is no doubt that some young men in particular neighborhoods are terrifying local residents. They shake down people for money, sell drugs, and are only too willing to use violence to get their way. However, most young Latinos, even most gang members, do nothing more than “hang out.” They know the consequences of breaking the law and understand crime doesn’t pay.The study finds, not surprisingly, that gang members tend to come from violent homes. They are either not doing well in school, have been expelled or have simply quit attending. They lack skills that allow them to get good-paying jobs.

While media reports can legitimize excessive police action, such action can lead to the strengthening of gang bonds. It can also lead young people who have never been in a gang to join one for support and protection.

A more effective model of the use of police methods is provided by the Gang Intervention Partnership in Washington, D.C., which in addition to policing, draws on schools, health and social service agencies and community leaders to intervene, to keep gangs from developing. When necessary, they repress gang activity with police action.Other successful programs are Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles and Operation Ceasefire in Boston. Homeboy Industries, founded in 1988, encourages and helps gang members to find employment. Operation Ceasefire combines policing with arms control. Since it was founded, gang homicides dropped 70 percent, according to the report.The news media would do well to stop its sensational reporting. It just leads to fear and frustration, eventually to strong-arm police tactics and inflammatory political rhetoric.

Reporting on the reality of Latino gang activity, the young people involved in the gang lifestyle and the programs that achieve some success would do so much more for the community.(Raúl Damacio Tovares is the author of Manufacturing the Gang. He teaches in the communication program of Trinity University, Washington, D.C. and may be contacted at tovaresr@trinitydc.edu).c 2007

It seems that a comprehensive immigration law will pass this year

March 12, 2007

by Marvin J. Ramirez

From The Editor: Marvin J. Ramirez

It’s likely that an immigration reform will pass this year. That is what it seems, according to supporters of comprehensive immigration.

A bill, expected to be introduced by Reps. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz), would include stronger border security, a guest worker program, and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

During a recent congressional hearing, Bush administration officials testified in Congress on Feb. 28, confirming the Administration support of a comprehensive bill.

Both Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) well-received the news, as they planned to introduced a similar bill they drafted during the 109th Congress, reported Weekly Report.

Meanwhile, protesters spread the clamor of thousand of poor immigrants here in San Francisco Bay Area, who more than ever, leave their homes for work with extreme fear of the Immigration, Custom Enforcement (ICE). The federal agency has been persisting in detaining undocumented immigrants using unethical tactics as posing as police officer to enter immigrants’ homes and arresting people. This is a cruel. It’s cruel to separate families.

Sen. John McCain

They got to be anti-immigrant officials with great influence to motivate this ICE’s actions, which are taking place at a time when the introduction of an immigration comprehensive bill is about to happen, and which would legalize these same people ICE wants to arrest.

Is there an inside, coordinated effort to prevent as many people possible to be legalized before the passage of this law?

If this is true, then this is very evil, as they are causing unnecessary pain and suffering to honest, hard-working people who had to cross the border to save themselves from extreme hardship at home. And the truth is that there aren’t many legal channels for them to get a visa to come and work legally.

Please note that although there are many people with enough resources to wait at home to immigrate to the U.S. legally, these undocumented immigrants living now in the U.S. are the type of people who couldn’t wait for 10 or more years to get a visa.

Everyone who is part of the fabric of the economy of the U.S., that is workers, students, etc., have a moral obligation to support these undocumented immigrants to become lawful tax payers by supporting a comprehensive bill that would allow them to some day become citizens.

After all, it’s in the interest of every one, since they are the ones – with their future tax contribution – who will save our Social Security from collapsing.

Is Venezuela swerving leftwards?

March 12, 2007

by the El Reportero wire services

Hugo Chávez

VENEZUELA – What is significant about the nationalisation measures announced by Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez over the past month, is that the government is not seizing the commanding heights of the economy.

Foreign investors in the strategically important oil industry, with one significant exception, ENI from Italy, do not appear to feel that they are about to be expropriated. More interestingly, the banking industry has not even been threatened.

U.S. stock market fall might drag Mexico down

March 10, 2007

by the El Reportero wire services

Agustín Carstens

MEXICO – On 27 February, Agustín Carstens, the country’s top economic policymaker, tried to reassure the financial markets after a 5.8 percent fall in the stockmarket. The last time the Mexican stockmarket fell so heavily, in January 2000, the US was heading into a mild recession. The Mexican economy followed the U.S. into recession, and Mexican economic growth in the first half of President Vicente Fox’s presidentialterm, which began in December 2000, was negligible. The big fear in Mexico is that the U.S. in going into recession again and this will cause major economic problems for Mexico. As President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa has a weak mandate, an economic crisis could easily set off social and political unrest in Mexico.

City College elects its two highest officials

March 10, 2007

by City College staff

Anita Grier

Dr. Anita Grier was sworn in as President of the Board of Trustees of City College of San Francisco by Mayor Gavin Newsom at a ceremony March 1 at City Hall. Julio J. Ramos took the oath of office as Vice President. Both will serve throughout 2007.

Dr. Anita Grier, Ed. also served as President of the Board in 2003 and 2000, and Vice President in 1998. Dr. Grier was elected to the Board of Trustees in 1998 and re-elected in 2002 and 2006.

A graduate of City College of San Francisco, Trustee Grier holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from San Francisco State University and a Doctoral degree from the University of San Francisco.

Dr. Grier has extensive experience in education, of administrator, principal, program manager, special education teacher, program administrator and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Director at San Francisco Unified School District. She currently serves on the Boards of two community college associations: the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and the California Community College Trustees (CCCT).

Trustee Ramos was elected to the City College of San Francisco Board in 2000 and re-elected in 2004. Mr. Ramos is a trial attorney in private practice and a former state attorney with the California Public Utilities Commission. He is a graduate of Columbia University Law School in New York, a past recipient of a Coro Foundation Fellowship in Public Affairs, a graduate of Pitzer College with a B.A. in Political Studies, and has been awarded the California Commendation Medal by the California Army National Guard. He also has been an English Teacher in Japan under a program sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Education.