La Verdad Duele | The Truth Hurts

South Bronx: Over 15 community organizations doing work in the South Bronx and several individuals representing themselves met at La Resurrección United Methodist Church located at 158th Street and Elton Avenue to form a broad based organization that can unite on common issues and defend the rights of the South Bronx community.

The organizations forming part of this historic organization range from housing advocacy groups like Pueblo En Marcha, Nos Quedamos and some Tenant Organizations to community gardens, to broad based coalitions like 4 The South Bronx Coalition fighting to make the NY Yankees accountable to their promises.

“This is the first time that I have seen in the last 35 years that we have the opportunity to unite in a broad based way and unite on issues that affect all of us,” stated Maximino Rivera, Chairman of Pueblo En Marcha and one of the founders of the movement.

The purpose of the organization is to try and bring as many South Bronx organizations and activist that are interested in uniting in a broad based organization like a Community Congress that would be able to share resources and help promote each other and support each others issues.

The South Bronx is ready for this type of movement, “we don’t intend to duplicate any organizations work, but on the contrary support their work and unite to lend each other the broad based support required to get the attention and respect required to bring effective change,” stated another of the founders, Julio Muñoz.

There is no doubt that the South Bronx is ripe and needs this type of organization, something similar like the Northwest Bronx Clergy & Community Coalition in the upper Bronx that have been quite effective in defending the rights of the organization in that area of the Bronx. This organization is credited for stopping the development of the Kingsbridge Armory Mall something that the community did not want unless the developers guaranteed certain wages and benefits to the community, something that they refused to do, thus the project was stopped.

“If we would have had a similar organization in the South Bronx, the developers who put up the new mall on the site of the old terminal Market by 149th Street and the NY Yankees new stadium would have never been able to take advantage of the community with so many broken promises the way that they did with those sweetheart agreements,” stated Anita Antonetty, another founder and community resident.

The organizers are clear that this has to be an organization that focuses on the South Bronx comprising up Community 1,2 and 4. This area of the Bronx has historically had the distinction of being the poorest congressional district in the country. “Why are we still the poorest community, we have intelligent people, we have people with degrees and people who care about the community?” asked another person present.

The fact is that the South Bronx community has some of the worst statistics facing any urban community in the country, but it also has some of the most corrupt elected officials who have historically put their personal and political ambitions before their constituents. Others have actually been so arrogant as to believe that they are the true leaders instead of an elected “representative” of a community that has many community leaders without any cohesion.

For example other than Councilwoman Helen Foster, there has not been any elected official that has questioned the NY Yankees on the 25% jobs, or 25% contracts that they promised during the construction phase. Though they Yankees have bragged how they met and surpassed those numbers they have never produced any documents, or lists to prove it. However, if you take an informal poll of any part of the community surrounding the stadium and ask anyone if they have worked, or knew of any or their neighbors that received any job, or contract from the Yankees you would be hard pressed to find anyone that can claim they did, or know of any neighbor that has benefited from the massive $1.3 billion dollar city subsidized project.

Similar allegations and concerns have been raised about the Gateway Mall several blocks south of the old stadium. Nancy Guzman, a resident at Walton Ave and 153rd Street located in between the new stadium and the Mall stated, “it’s like if this community did not exist. These projects get built here. We are inconvenienced by the construction and afterwards by the traffic and all the issues related to the large numbers of people coming through this community. What did we residents get from it? Nothing and where were our so-called elected leaders, no-where?” Every elected official who claims to represent the South Bronx community should hide in shame for allowing this to happen.

Unfortunately some of these elected officials representing the South Bronx are either extremely dysfunctional, opportunist or blind. For example not one elected official has yet to be heard, or question the integrity of any of the community benefits agreements signed by both the Gateway Mall Developers and the NY Yankees. Though most have been quiet on the subject, one has actually had the audacity to state that she saw no problems at all. Councilwomen Maria Del Carmen Arroyo was recently heard to say, “the Yankees have kept all the promises they made, I have no problems with the Yankees.” It’s a shame that an elected official in the South Bronx can be so detached from the very people that they are supposed to represent. If that statement would have been made public prior to the citywide elections and Mickey Mouse would have run against Arroyo just promoting what she was heard to say, Ms. Arroyo would be collecting unemployment today.

Despite the poverty and problems and lack of true elected leadership in the South Bronx, the news of so many community activists coming together is a sign of positive things to come. If this effort to unite and create a South Bronx Congress can be achieved, the South Bronx will finally begin to come up from the shadows and despair of the many who have knowingly taken advantage of this community and perhaps like the Jewish community the South Bronx can say: “Never Again!”

The next meeting of the organization will take place on Feb 13th at 12:30 to 3:30pm at the Resurrección United Methodist Church located on 158th St and Elton Ave.
For more information call 718-993-0909

U.S. Department of Justice (December 15, 2009)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The President’s Task Force on Puerto Rico’s Status held its first meeting today, continuing the important work of examining and reporting on the island’s status question, but also expanding its focus to include matters affecting Puerto Rico’s economic development. President Obama signed an Executive Order on Oct. 30, 2009, to both preserve the Task Force’s original mission, and to provide advice and recommendations to the President and the Congress on policies that promote job creation, education, health care, clean energy, and economic development on the islands.

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by Albor Ruiz – NY Local
Daily News (New York) (October 18th 2009)

August 26, 2009 – Washington, DC – Congressman José E. Serrano released the following statement on the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy:
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Washington, DC – Congressman José E. Serrano today announced that he is planning to coordinate a celebration in the Bronx for Sonia Sotomayor following her confirmation to the Supreme Court.  Sotomayor was confirmed by a vote of 68-31.

“A few weeks ago I had the honor of testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of Judge Sotomayor. That was a great honor for me because of all that this nominee represents to me and my community.  I described that to the Senators and asked them to support her.

“And now the Senate has made history by confirming her. I cannot describe the feelings of happiness and pride and what it means to me personally. I can say that our nation took another giant step forward today. I extend my deepest congratulations to Justice Sotomayor.

“In honor of this historic event, I spoke with Judge Sotomayor and with her approval, have begun to organize a celebration in the Bronx to honor her and the community from which she has come.  We are so proud of her and this is the best way to show it.

“I have called the Bronx Borough President and asked him to partner with me in organizing this celebration so that as a community we will finally have a way to express our pride in Justice Sotomayor’s achievements.”

History was made yesterday when Judge Sotomayor was confirmed by the Senate. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press

The following was sent by the National Institute for Latino Policy. We want to share it with our readers.
The Senate votes 68 to 31 to confirm Sotomayor, who will be the first Latino and third woman ever on the nation’s highest court. Nine Republicans cross party line to support her confirmation.
By James Oliphant and David G. Savage
Los Angeles Times (August 6, 2009)
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An elected official who never forgot who she was & who she represented.

A women who I respected has passed on.

When I first started Morivivi Language Services, my interpreting business I had met Senator Olga Mendez and told her about the business. She thought it was a good and necessary business. A couple of months later, still trying to get myself together and promote the business, I received a phone call from an executive of Isabella Geriatric Center in Washington Heights. The women asked me if I could translate several broshures for them from English to Spanish? This was my first written translation request and I asked her how did she hear about Morivivi? She said from Senator Olga Mendez.
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we thought our readers would enjoy reading the following piece by our friend, Miguel Perez. The piece was also circulated by the National Institute for latino Policy. Read and see why?

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