Volume 5 Issue 1 - Current Students

fall 2010
Volume 5 Issue 1
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2
3
Editors Note
The La Voz Familia
MUSICA
5
6
7
Viva la musica (Salsa v. Merengue)
Latin Music Past Present Future
Zumba: Dancing the pounds away
CORAZON
8
9
10
11
Ay Mami: Machismo
Santeria: A myth unveiled
Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
Beauty of Diversity
CULTURA
15 Good Hair vs. Bad Hair:
Why should we care?
16 I AM Latina
17 Latinos en el exterior
18 Uncovering the myths of Latinos
EL JUEGO
19 Stars may not shine in Arizona
REFLEJO
20 Cafe Con Leche
COCINA
21 Al Estilo Dominicano
La Voz is a student run publication dedicated to promoting awareness of the various
viewpoints, ethnicities and cultural traditions surrounding the Latino community. Its pages
address social, economic and political issues facing Latinos today.
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Letter from the Editor
¡Bienvenido!
It is the fall of my senior year
here at SU and I am more than
ecstatic. I find myself overwhelmed while also relieved
that my hard work will soon pay
off (or at least I hope so).
I came into the position of
Editor-in-Chief somewhat blindly
because of my lack of Spanish
speaking abilities, being that I am
half Indian and half Irish. I think
that is what makes me unique,
my ability to find a way to make
things work regardless of my
ethnic background. My ethnicity
is not a barrier; it is not a label. It
is apart of who I am but does not
define me completely.
What I have always loved
about the Latino culture is its rich, spicy diversity. The culture has so
many aspects that make the people interesting, the food amazing and
the music wonderful. I enjoy the flavor of the culture which is probably
why I fit right in, often getting mistaken for a Puerto Rican or Dominican
(my two common racial identities I am often confused as).
The theme of this issue is Back to Basics: The Resurrection. We
are rebuilding La Voz, making the voice of the Latino community
prominent and known. The Latino Community has a lot of be proud
of and I am hoping that the community can enjoy the resurrection
of the voice of their people.
After much hard work and dedication, it gives me great pleasure
to introduce the fall issue of La Voz.
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Francis Fernandez
Julissa Montalvo
I’m a die hard Yankees fan
and have an interesting mix
of Dominican and Colombian.
I find there is something
beautiful about the way
things turn out.
Cassandra Lee Laboy
Ghilianie Soto
Senior
Child and Family Studies
Junior
Public Relations, Writing
and Rhetorical Studies
Senior
Information Management
and Technology
“Tis’ better to live your
own life imperfectly than
to imitate someone else’s
perfectly.”
— Elizabeth Gilbert
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Junior
Graphic Design, Marketing, Psychology
Never certain of what I
want, only certain of what
I don’t want...crazy, loud,
and obsessed I am...
la voz staff
Guramrit Khalsa
Editor-in-Chief
Cassandra Laboy
Managing Editor
Julissa Montalvo
Creative Director
Ghilianie Soto
Senior Editor
Francis Fernandez
Assistant Editor
Amelia Bienstock
Illustrator
Writers:
Jessica Santana, Luis Cadavid, Peter Rosado, Ismabel Cueto,
Alaina Mallette, Jaisa Dominguez-Germosen, Glorelys Mora,
Karina Escano, Kenia Perez
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Salsa v. Merengue
by ALAINA MALLETTE
Mark Twain wrote: “On with dance,
let joy be unconfined, is my motto;
whether there’s any dance to dance
or any joy to unconfined.” The art of
dancing plays a significant role in
Latin American culture. Two specific
dances are very common in the Latino culture: salsa and merengue.
Salsa has a very colorful history.
The origin is controversial since the
dance has roots from Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances. A large part of
the dance originated in Cuba. In the
19th and 20th centuries, the French
who fled from Haiti brought the
Danzón dance to Cuba. This dance
mixed with African rhumbas, like
Guaguanco, Colombia, and Yambú.
Later, the Són of the Cuban people
was added in, which is a mixture of
Spanish sonero and African drumbeats. This same style developed in
places like the Dominican Republic
and Puerto Rico, but not to the grand
scale as it did in Cuba . Around the
time of World War II, the music and
dance traveled to Mexico City, and
from there the music took off.
Not until this form of music reached
New York City did it get dubbed
“Salsa.” At this point, the dance
had branched out throughout the
western hemisphere, and each
new place added its own flavor
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to the music. For instance, in New
York, Salsa music added different
instruments and extra percussion
to previous Colombian songs. This
different rhythm and beat made it
more comfortable for New Yorkers
to dance to . Likewise, other places
changed up the style to better suit
their own preferences.
Merengue on the other hand originated in the Dominican Republic in
the late 1700s and early 1800s. It is
a combination of African dance and
the French Minuet. According to Dominicans themselves, black slaves
saw ballroom dancers through the
windows of their masters’ houses.
During their own leisure festivities,
they attempted to mimic their masters’ dances, while adding their own
upbeat tempo by the use of drums .
The dance has flourished and today
nightlife thrives on merengue music
and it is a memento for Dominicans
of their beloved home island.
Paul Austerlitz writes in his book,
Merengue: Dominican music and
Dominican identity, “… here women carousel and carousel, moving
together tightly with their dancing
men, in a dance that has a handle
in inciting and channeling the pleasures of love and commitment.”
Clearly, Merengue is a romantic,
lively dance that sparks passion in
the Latino nation.
Three Generations of
Latin Inspiration
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BY ISMABEL CUETO
Past - Celia Cruz
One of the most influential and legendary
singers of all time, Celia Cruz, has been
crowned “la reina de la Salsa” (the queen
of Salsa). She paved the way for the music
of Cuba to reach mainstream, introducing the Cuban style of Salsa to America.
Her work has earned her much recognition including the National Medal of Arts
from President Clinton, lifetime achievement awards from both the Smithsonian
and the Hispanic Heritage Organization,
a street named after her in Miami’s Calle
Ocho district, and her own designated
day in San Francisco on October 25th,
known as Celia Cruz Day. Celia Cruz has
won the hearts of many through er music
and enchanting charisma. She continues
to live life after death as her memory lives
on through her work as well as her trademark. ¡AZÚCAR!
Present - Aventura
The group Aventura consists of four group
members all of Dominican origin: Mikey
Santos, Lenny Santos, Henry Santos and
Anthony Santos. The group formed in the
Bronx, New York in 1994. They became international celebrities about five years ago
and are currently one of the best-selling
Latin artists in the market. In 2009, their
album “The Last”, remained on Billboard’s
Latin charts for four consecutive months. In
the same year, their concert tour titled “The
Kings: Live”broke the record for playing five
concert series at the Jose Miguel Agrelot
Coliseum in Hato Rey. Aventura is known
for creating its own unique style of Bachata,
adding Reggaeton, R&B, Hip Hop and Pop
to the mix and singing in both English and
Spanish. Their ability to incorporate many
different styles into their Bachata lyrics enables them to easily collaborate with many
different artists from different music genres
including Thalia, Don Omar, Ludacris and
Wyclef Jean. Aventura broke into the music
scene about 15 years ago and is currently
one of the most played groups in the Latin
community.
Future - Ana Isabelle Acevedo Aviles
Ana Isabelle Acevedo Aviles is one of the
youngest and multitalented artists to break
out in the Latin scene. Not only can she sing,
dance and act but she can also play the piano,
guitar, flute and the bells. Aviles’artistic resume
began at the tender age of five when she was
a part of the Children’s Chorus in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Although she only recently made her
debut, Aviles has already collaborated with a
number of Latin mega-stars such as Luis Fonsi
and Rakim & Ken-Y, and was featured in the
film “El Cantante” alongside Marc Anthony
and Jennifer Lopez. She has done choreography work for“Las EstrellasBailan”,a realityshow
on Telemundo. At a young age, Aviles possesses numerous talents and shows she has
the potential to have her name amongst the
greatest Latin artists.
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BY GURAMRIT KHALSA!
Ten women reluctantly walk into a dark
room. All smiles and overly energized,
Janice Rodriguez walks into the room.
“Hello everyone and welcome to Zumba,“ she says. The ten women, including
myself look at one another with puzzled expressions. “Let me guess, you
want to know what Zumba is all about,”
Rodriguez says. “Zumba is a great way
to get in shape,” she says “you burn 800
to 1,000 calories in this 45 minute class
while shaking your hips.”
I look at my mother and wonder what
exactly we are getting ourselves into.
Rodriguez turns the music on and the
mood of the room changes. We no
longer feel like we are in a gym, the
ambiance has changed to that of a
nightclub. Rodriguez pumps up the
volume of the first song, a merengue,
and instructs us on the basic choreography of the workout. As the workout
continues, the music changes from merengue to salsa to cumbia to samba and
even calypso. The most surprising was
the inclusion of a 50’s Elvis tribute and a
country square dance.
Zumba was born in 1999 in Cali, Colombia as aerobics instructor, Beto
Perez’s, honest mistake of forgetting his
aerobics music. Perez improvised by
merely grabbing the music tapes from
his backpack, which so happened to in6"#"$%"&'(")%**"+,!,!
clude salsa, merengue, cumbia, etc.
Perez then brought the idea to the United States in 2001 where Alberto Perlman and Alberto Aghion created the
international phenomenon of Zumba
Fitness.
Zumba has evolved into much more
than booty shaking. It has become an
extensive workout routine that helps
you forget you are actually shedding
the pounds by doing what you love.
I must admit I have taken a liking to this
miraculous workout form. For someone who has practically tried everything from Insanity workouts to various
fitnessclasses, there is nothing like “shakin’what your mama gave ya’”in a Zumba class. One of the amazing things is: it
actually works.
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ALLETTE
BY ALAINA M
Ladies, imagine you are taking a stroll
down any calle in Mexico, Argentina,
the Dominican Republic, or any other
Latin American country. Preparate!
Here come the whistles, the “iAy,
Mami!”s, the stares and winks.
Now, imagine a woman who arrives
at home a little too late and her husband is waiting at the door. As she
walks in, he raises himself and his
hand. Before she can react, there is a
5-digit print plastered across the side
of her face. These are some extremes
of the Latin American “machismo”
mentality.
Machismo can be defined as the assumption that masculinity is superior
to femininity. In other words, it is a
type of sexism that exists and is accepted as a norm by the Latin culture.
If you were to dive deeper into the
world of machismo, you would find
that it is much more complex than
that. It is a mental and personal disposition of the Latino male.
The idea of hyper-masculinity has
its roots in early colonization by the
Spanish conquistadors. The Spanish
were more comfortable with male
leadership militarily, politically and
socially.
Religion plays a major role in the de-
velopment of this mindset. The Catholic
Church has instilled this idea that the
woman (Eve) was made from the rib of
man (Adam).
Modern machismo is a contemporary
version of this old patriarchal society. The Latino man is the head of the
household. He makes all the important decisions and brings in the family’s
main source of income, while the wife
stays at home with the children, cooks
and cleans. In the most extreme case,
a male feels that it is acceptable to slap
around his wife if she is not being obedient. It is assumed that a female must
obey the wants and desires of her husband, or else reap the consequences.
Sacha Forgenie, a senior at Syracuse
University majoring in Finance and International Relations says, “These cultural norms are what affect us [women]
from moving forward in society.”
In society, men must prove that they are
strong, assertive and aggressive. If they
show too much emotion, they are seen
as sissies, which decreases their masculinity and potential power in society.
When will men and women have a level
playing field on the home front? Will
male chauvinism ever revert back to an
egalitarian society? Only time will tell.
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Too often we hear negative stories revolving around the belief of Santeria.
We hear of the witchcraft, the idolatry
and the unnatural sacrifices made by
the practitioners. They build into this
idea of a cult that is often looked at with
fear and stereotyped as a black magic
or a dark art.
Feeding into these stereotypes, we often forget that Santeria is a faith with followers and believers just like any other.
So why the controversy? Why the fear?
Santeria is becoming more common
in today’s society, but due to certain aspects of their rituals and practices, they
have still to gain full acceptance.
Santeria has evolved through time,
spreading from Africa to Central America and then to the United States. Originating in the tribes of Africa, Santeria is
often referred to as a negative folklore.
It was a means for the African slaves
to hold onto their identity and beliefs.
Crooks. Thieves. Rapists. These are all
references used to describe the Africans
or “morenos”brought over to Cuba during the 19th century. Their rebellious
acts against the Cuban society, were
associated with the negative folklore
which refers to the sacrificial practices
to the hungry and volatile orichas, or
gods, worshipped in Santeria. The Cuban officialsallowed the worshippers of
Santeria to continue their rituals as long
as they were positive.
“Growing up, Santeria was something
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you didn’t mess with. Although my
family does not practice it, we regarded
the power of their gods as nothing to
play around with,” says Becky Romero,
a junior at the State University of New
York’s College for Environmental Science and Forestry.
Perhaps this could be where the fear
originated. Although Santeria is interwoven with Catholicism there is minimal acceptance between the Catholics
and Santeros.
The rituals and sacrifices made by the
Lukumi Santeria religion to some may
seem vulgar or out of the ordinary. We
live in a world now where PETA (People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
and other animal rights activists do
control a large part of the public sphere.
These animal sacrifices create an issue
beyond the Latino community.
These obstacles that Santeria is facing
are becoming more difficult to deny
because to a certain extent, denial of
a practice within your religion is the
equivalent of denying your faith.
The question is will we allow them to
gain acceptance. Does freedom of religion and speech not apply to us all? Or
should we make compromises. Regardless of what they do, Santeria is a religion that you choose for yourself. They
do not “lure” you in, as it may seem to
some, it is your right of choice.
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Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
BY JAISA DOMINGUEZGERMOSEN
Eduardo Bonilla-Silva is an “Afro-Boricua” professor of sociology at Duke
University, who believes that racism is
a structural or systemic social system in
which we all participate in, whether it
be conscious or not.
Bonilla-Silva’s research is primarily centralized around the study of race, ethnicity and its connection to the stratification and political economy. He
focuses on the African American-White
divide as well as of racism of Latinos in
the U.S. and other countries.
He has published three books including Racism without Racists: Color-Blind
Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America, White Supremacy
and Racism in the Post-Civil Rights Era
and Anything But Racism: How Social
Scientists Limit the Significance of Racism. His books talk about a new ideology known as “color-blind racism.”
On September 30th, Bonilla –Silva
came to Syracuse University to talk
about the active discrimination that
exists in our country and to explain
the theory of color-blind racism. Most
Americans view discrimination only in
terms of organizations like the KKK, the
Nazi’s and hate crimes. But today new
racist practices have replaced the old
Jim Crow Laws.
These laws, Bonilla-Silva says, are now
formidable ideologies of colorblind racism. An example he gave, was the socalled Obama Phenomenon. Obamas’
election has fooled many into believing
that his logo of “change” will eliminate
racism, he says. It has brought significant social and economic change. He
believes the Obama administration
may go so far as to continue and even
expand American imperialist foreign
policy, and even more so blur the space
to talk about race in a public space.
“We have the color without the flavor,”
Bonilla-Silva says
Despite the limitations, Bonilla-Silva is
conscious that there are possibilities to
move forward as a community.
“The complexity of the situation exist
and we need to accept it. We need to
understand the differences in different
cultural backgrounds and begin to connect to other communities in order to
progress,” Bonilla-Silva says.
Our society no longer permits blatant
racism. Modernity, according to BonillaSilva, has been the cause for the new racist practices that exist today. He suggests
we should use our new way of thinking
in a more positive manner and progress
toward a more culturally and ethnically
accepting nation. This does not mean we
should eliminate or “hide” our culture, for
culture is what makes us individuals. We
can learn about our own essences better
if we embrace everyone’s culture and ethnicity without feeling threatened.
“What would be a world without race?
It would be a world in which people like
me, a Puerto Rican, who wants to eat
food from his homeland and dance salsa, couldn’t because there would be no
tolerance of culture,” Bonilla-Silva says.
Culture is what some of us use to define
our likes and dislikes. It is what sets us
apart from one another. Even though we
each have our own ideals, no one culture
or ethnicity is better then the next.
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The Beauty of Diversity
Beauty, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary is, “the qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the
senses or pleasurably exalts the mind
or spirit”. In other words, beauty is what
catches ones eye and what one finds
attractive. However, if beauty were to
be described with specific “qualities”
and given in the form of a list, what exactly would that look like?
When it comes to a community as
physically diverse as the Latino com!!"#"$%"&'(")%**"+,!,!
munity, one might question if the same
standards for beauty apply to it or if it
should be viewed in a completely different way.
Latin America is made up of more than
20 countries, spread across North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean. When the Spaniards colonized
these areas, a mixture of them and the
indigenous natives created a new diverse
race: “Mestizo.” The new race generated
varying forms of appearance.
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So what defines beauty in the Latino
community?
Pamela Medina, a Syracuse University Sophomore majoring in Finance
and International Relations, says that
in her traditional Dominican family,
a woman’s beauty lies in her curves.
She admits to sometimes feeling insecure because she does not have
as many curves as the women in her
family and at times feels that she
does not fit in because of that.
This may be a product of societal expectations of people to look a certain way
because of their ethnic background.
Several students on campus admitted
that they believe there is a stereotype
for the body and appearance of Latino women and men. However when
asked if they think they fit into the ideal
appearance, they said otherwise.
Ismelda De Leon, a SU Sophomore
majoring in Information Technology
and Management, says “The stereotype for the way Latinas look is the
image portrayed on TV; we are depicted as curvaceous women with a
caramel complexion”.
This issue is common for many Latinas.
Well-known Colombian actress Sofia
Vergara told Esquire Magazine she had
a problem booking parts when she
first arrived in Hollywood because her
naturally blonde hair made it difficult
for people to believe she was a Latina.
In the interview, Vergara says, “If you
see my family, you wouldn’t believe
it, everyone looks like they’re Polish:
blond with blue eyes. They were confused. They have this stereotype that
Latin people have to look like Salma
Hayek. The minute I made my hair dark,
then they believed that I [was] Latina.”
Joluis De Los Santos, a SU Sophomore pre-med student, recognizes
that Latinos look different from one
another; depending on the country they are from. There is so much
physical diversity among Latinos that
the appearance of people varies ex-
“There is beauty in the
Latino community, no
matter how diverse it is. “
tremely even within one country. Although those from Central and South
America look more indigenous with
tan skin and straight hair, they also
have stronger European influences in
some areas where people are blonde
and have a very light complexion.
One thing Medina, De Leon and De
Los Santos all have in common, is they
believe there is beauty in the Latino
community, no matter how diverse it
is. When asked what makes the Latino
community beautiful, De Leon replied.
“It’s a certain sex appeal, a uniqueness
that’s in the mix and blend behind every Latino”.
Despite the insecurities that so many
different types of beauty may create
in some Latinos, the diversity among
them is believed to be unique. “Beauty
can’t be definedbecause it varies within cultures especially within the Latino
community,” says De Los Santos. Diversity is what makes Latino men and
women beautiful.
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Featuring Artist:
Butta Love
She goes by the name Butta Love and is more Latina than you think,
much more than meets your eye.
Year: Junior
Major: Art Photography and Creative Writing Major
Inspirations: I grew up on street photographers like
WeeGee and Robert Frank who all shot in black and white. The urban culture and the the
people in today’s society (the working and the non-working class all inspire me to capture
them in mid-action of their everyday lives; nothing is better than catching someone when
they are oblivious to the fact that someone is watching them (kinda stalkerish, i know) during their private moments that they think aretheir own even when their in public.
Aspirations: Since I was 18 I wanted to expand the Bowery Mission. It’s a minister that
transforms the lives of those in need. I’ve volunteered at similar places but none have
caught my eye like them. I’ve always done alot of community service, whether it was teaching kids photography or feeding the homeless. The Bowery Mission introduced me to many
people who’s stories I could relate to befor they became the ‘non-working class’. Everyone
to build a school for Visual and Performing Arts (middle school and high school) for kids
who really want to pursue art because I feel that art isnt being seriously taught in schools.
I’m talking about steel drums to spoken word to congo dancing to photography; I want it
all. Also I want to be on the cover of Complex Magazine. It’s dope, it’s me (haha) but in all
pher now a days, all you need is a camera but many dont start from the roots up or even go
to school for it. How do you call yourself a photographer without knowing it’s origins or ever
Quirky Facts: Wow, talk about personal LOL. Ummm I have a weird obssesion with
photographing homeless people, my sister thinks it’s weird that I think old people are cute,
my mom thinks it’s super weird that I love touching the soft tips of my pillow and I’m a huge
to anything I don’t get enough information from if I’m watching the Discovery or History
Channel”-I rarely ever change the channel unless I’m watching a Lifetime movie.
Childhood Song: Huge Disney fan, yes I have most of them on VHS; super old school but
I used to drive my two uncles Juan and Jon crazy back in my bratty days so they could put
Beauty and the Beast on at least 8x a day; so on that note I would have to say “Be Our Guest”
from Beauty and the Beast
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BY GLORELYS MORA-LIZ
Straight, curly, wavy, bald, coarse, long
and short, regardless of the form or texture we all have it; hair. These strands of
hair all lead to our roots, which hold not
only the length of our hair but hold our
history and identity. To some, hair is just
and omen of beauty, but for others hair
is a reminder of obligations to pride
and culture, and a window to self-esteem. But how do you differ between
the two, between pride and beauty?
Between good hair and bad hair? And,
why are these descriptions so relevant
to the Latino community?
For the Latina woman hair is generally at
the center of their pride, it is what many
consider the characteristic that makes
them beautiful. The stereotype for the
Latina is long jet-black straight hair, if you
don’t meet these requirements does that
make you ugly? And does it not make
you a Latina? Not at all, my hair is none
of the previously mentioned, but rather
my hair is very coarse and at a medium
length. I still consider myself a Latina and I
also indentify myself as a woman of color.
To an extent, hair serves as a port for segregation amongst the Latino community and members who are not apart of
the community. When I asked members
of the Syracuse University community
“How do you identify a Latina in a crowd,
what features help you to come to the
conclusion of what a Latina woman is?”
many people said they can tell who is a
Latina by her hair.
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Lesley Antwi, a Syracuse University Junior
majoring in Accounting says,“For Latinas
and Black Women hair is a token of their
beauty and what men are attracted to, it
is very important … but to me good hair
is about maintenance, health and body.
Good hair is determined by your own
personal standards. And, yes for Latina
and Black Women hair is about pride, but
there is no such thing as good hair but
rather good hair care.”
Like Antwi says, there is no such thing as
good hair, and everyone has the right to
determine what hairstyle suits him or her
best. Although, I will never have the typical Latina hair, I use my hair as a port to
transcend my Latina and acquired Black
pride. I stopped getting perms at a point
in my life because of the degrading history behind chemical treatments, because
it was a source to hide your culture and
pride, but there are other methods of displaying your pride.
There is more to a Latina than hair and I
have slowly learned that throughout the
years. Hair is a convoluted topic, especially when your hair is so nappy and you
don’t fit in with one group of people, but
sometimes you have to acknowledge
that maybe you weren’t meant to fit in,
but rather stand out. Your hair is your
crown, and I think the cool part about
that is that you get to pick it-it doesn’t
matter where you are from.
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BY JESSICA SANTANA
There is no specific definition to
being a Latino/Latina in the United
States. Attempting to articulate
the beautiful diversity of mi cultura
would only be a disservice to my
people. History shows that using
generalizations to create an image of a people always results in
preconceived notions and gives
right to those who do not know us
to think they already do. These stereotypes are perpetuated the most
in the media and we must work to
open our minds by understanding
how cultures evolve. Mi gente deserve better than for me to be the
only representation of who they
are holistically.
Many people would disagree
with me and say that Latinos are
a culture of people who share a
language, food, music, traditions,
customs, and values, but to share
all of these things makes us a uniform group of people. Typically,
we are expected to speak Spanish, but what happens to 2nd and
3rd generation Latinos in the U.S.
that do not speak the language?
We are also expected to love rice
and beans, but what happens to
those of us who prefer the traditional American Cheeseburgers?
Are they any less Latino because
they do not fit the homogeneity
imposed on us through media perspectives? I think not.
There is no one “Latino perspective”. We are all driven by different
life experiences, speak different
dialects, eat different foods, have
different relationships with God,
feel differently about political issues, love differently, think differently, speak differently, and the list
could go on.
As a Latina, I would have to say that
ethnic identity labels are extremely
fluid and could never paint an entire picture of a culture. With that
being said, my definitionof Latino/
Latina is simple: a group of people
who respect the differences that
make up the beauty of this diverse
culture, know the depths of their
histories, and appreciate each other not for what makes them similar,
but for what makes them unique.
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4'8%('9
!"#$%&'()%()*(+,#)-$&!"#$%&'#()*)+&*
I
h a v e
been in over
27 countries and
lived in four; two of
which had shown me what
Latin culture is and two that have
shown me how it is preserved far away
from home. We as Latinos are very warm
people and still believe in the values of family and
staying together as an ethnicity because our identity is
preserved through the masses and not the individual. While I
lived in Russia, I got to meet many different people including Mexicans, Colombians and Ecuadorians. I must say all of them still hang out
in their little cliques with other people that are from their country, who became their new family.
As an Ecuadorian and Colombian, I can say there is nothing more beautiful
than being far away from home but still be able to experience your culture to the fullest in your native tongue. I spent 18 summers in Russia and
during those numerous occasions I never missed the Colombian Independence Day at the Embassy where I was able to unite with old friends and
new faces, all of who spoke Spanish and ate great traditional food. I
I remember going to Latin night in the clubs and teaching white girls how
to dance some vallenato or cumbia. As an Ecuadorian I can say I ate cuy (rodent animal) almost in every country I found another Ecuadorian and saw
the traditional poncho in the indigenous immigrants in countries like the
U.S., Russia, France, Spain and Germany. The most important and surprising thing in my opinion is that Latinos preserve their culture as best as they
can. In my experience, most countries except the U.S., Spanish is kept as the
main language. Latinos residing in different countries view it as temporary
as Latinos always have the idea of going back home, because there is nothing like home.
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4'8%('9
Four Myths of the Latino Identity
With the rapid growth of Latinas/Latinos in America, there are more and more small whispers
and conversations about our identity, and most of them being in a negative light. We are here to
discover the truths behind some of the most outrageous myths regarding Latinos.
BY CASSANDRA LABOY
Myth: All Latina women are housekeepers
Truth: Over the past few years Hollywood
has depicted Latinas in a negative way. Almost every movie that makes it to the big
screen designates the housekeeper role
to a chunky Latina woman. This portrayal
is not beneficialto the roles of women in
the home. The media roles translate Latino women into being passive, feeble, unintelligent, and dependent. This is not the
case. There are many successful women
in business, law, and politics. Does Sonia
Sotomayor ring a bell? More women in
Latino households are supporting their
families through a number of successful
positions.
Myth: Most Latinos insist on the Spanish
language and reject the English language.
Truth: Most Latinos would rather find a
balance between the two.
Maintaining the native language is important to Latinos coming to America, yet there
is an agreement in maintaining a balance
between English fluency and the Spanish
language. Many studies have shown that
by the third generation, Spanish has gone
from a first language learned to a“spanglish”
dialect. In a study done by Brown University,
“96 percent of immigrant citizens, and 95
percent of immigrant non-citizens “believe
that it is very important to learn English
being in the United States. In other words,
Latinos like to keep ties to their roots while
becoming a part of the American society.
Myth: Second and Third Generations
Latinos Are More Assimilated.
Truth: Children of immigrant Latinos are
trying to embrace their heritage more than
their parents. It is difficult for many to balance the American culture and keep their
heritage alive and for this reason many of
the later generations are trying their hardest
not to lose the identity of where they have
come from. In a study done in 2009 by the
Pew Hispanic Center: Between Two Worlds,
16% of young Latinos identify themselves
as white, compared to 30% of adult Latinos
reflective of an older generation that often
felt it needed to hide its ethnic heritage.
Researchers do believe that the higher a
generation is the more likely the individual
refers to themselves as American. These individuals still take part in common cultural
practices as a way to stay In touch with their
traditions.
Myth: Latino parents are not invested in
their children’s education
Truth: Parents who have immigrated from
their native land and have children in American public schools hold strong aspirations
for their children involving education. Parents not only want their children to succeed
in college but they also want their children
to be successful in their careers. Immigrant
parents know the struggle that they have
been through and do not want the same for
their children. It is difficult for immigrant parents to be involved in their students schooling because of the language barrier and the
unfamiliarity of the school system. However,
this does not stop Latino parents. In a study
done by Brown University on the involvement of Latino parents in a child’s life, more
than half of the respondents reported that
they have volunteered in their childrens
school such as attending PTA meetings.
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Arizona’s new immigration law, SB
1070, only went into effect August
of 2010, but since then the baseball
world has had an opinion. Ever since it
was announced that the 2011 All-Star
Game would be played at Chase Field
in Phoenix, Arizona there has been an
outcry from politicians, sportswriters
and players to move the game.
30 percent of Major League Baseball
(MLB) players are Latinos providing
much controversy over having the AllStar game in a state that is anti-immigrant. “The MLB needs to revisit the issue of whether the All-Star Game, one
of America’s greatest exports to Latin
America, should be played in a state
that doesn’t show any respect to Latinos,” says Jose Serrano, a New York City
Congressman.
Latino baseball players may be prone
to being stopped by the police on “reasonable suspicion” that they might be
in this country illegally.
While it is true Latinos are treated
much better in baseball since Bud
Selig became commissioner; nobody
wants a repeat of the struggles African
!:"#"$%"&'(")%**"+,!,!
American players had to endure prior
to Jackie Robinson breaking the ethnic
boundary in baseball.
This is not a question about what Major League Baseball HAS done for its
Latin stars but what it WILL do. Of the
77 honorees that played in the All-Star
Game in 2010, 28 were not of American descent.
Players like Yovani Gallardo, of the Milwaukee Brewers and Adrian Gonzalez,
of the San Diego Padres have already
stated that they would not attend and
would sit out if chosen to play. Heath
Bell, the closer for the San Diego Padres
and teammate of Gonzalez has publicly stated, “I wouldn’t be surprised if
I wouldn’t go to stick up for my teammate...sometimes you need to stick up
for your friends and family.”
At the end of the day, this is an issue
that holds great precedence for Latinos. This is a chance for Commissioner
Selig to be ahead of politicians and
make the right call: to step up and defend his players and fans or he could
very well be having his annual All-Star
game devoid of all its shine.
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&'(%
)*&+*
by Karina
Escaño
<*"8<=<>'
On October 1, 2010 I attended the fourth annual “Café con Leche”. Café con Leche is a
showcase event hosted by La LUCHA (Latinos
Undergraduates Creating History in America),
put on every year to commemorate Latino
Heritage month.
The name of the event “Café con Leche” translates to coffee with milk, a symbolic delicacy in
the Latino culture. This years event included
everything that makes me think of my Latino
culture: food, fun, laughter, music, dancing and
of course café con leche! This year we had a live
local band “Grupo Pagan.” Their upbeat music
mixed with familiar lyrics had me almost jumping out my seat to dance. They truly brought
that musical element to Café con Leche needed from the previous events.
I can remember the first Café con Leche I ever
went to, I was a freshman and my sister took me
to this event. It was one of the very first events I
attended at Syracuse, and on top of that it was
to celebrate my heritage, I was beyond happy.
At first I really liked it because it was a celebration of my heritage, it was fun and they had
food, all things that I missed from home.
For the 2008 to 2010 Café con Leche’s, I could
not help but to love what it stood for. I developed a greater appreciation for the event itself
because I was able to partake in the creation
and putting together of the event along with
the executive board of La LUCHA.
Even beyond my college years I hope to come
back to attend Café con Leche every couple of
years, because it is an event I have grown to
have a lot of passion for and learned to greatly
appreciate.
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4'439%
Lasagna,
Al Estilo Dominicano
Yield: Makes 2 servings for 8 people
Active Time: 20-30 Minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 Box of Lasagna Pasta
1 Whole Mozzarella Cheese
1 Bag of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Ricotta Cheese
1 ½ lb. Ground Beef
Homemade Sazon
Half Bushel of Cilantro
1 Green Bell Pepper (Medium)
1 Red Pepper (Medium)
10-15 Cloves of Peeled Garlic
¼ of Vinegar
1 ½ Medium Sized Onion
Ragu: Traditional Meat Sauce
1 Tablespoon of Vegetable Oil
1 Teaspoon of Oregano
1 Teaspoon of Salt
Preparation:
1. Defrost the Meat. It is recommended
that this is done the night before. Leave
the meat in the packaging that it came
in. Place the ground beef in a container,
under running hot water. You will know
the meat is completely defrosted when
the meat is no longer hard.
2. Make the Sazon. Start off by washing
the vegetables, especially the cilantro.
Cut all the vegetables to a size that
your food processor or blender can accommodate. In this order, add: Vinegar,
Cilantro, and Vegetables. Set the setting on your food processor or blender
to puree. If the seasoning is too thick
you may add some water. It should be
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pasty. After seasoning is done being
made, smell for a rich flavor.
3. Making the Lasagna. Preheat the
oven to 350° - 375°. Season the defrosted beef to your discretion, as much as
you think is necessary for the best flavor to accommodate your taste. Boil
the pasta on medium heat, this should
take about 10-15 minutes or until the
pasta is tender. While boiling the pasta
start to cook the beef, with a tablespoon of vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon of
oregano and 1 teaspoon of salt. Place
a cover on the pan in which the beef
is cooking, and stir at your frequently.
When the beef turns to a gray color you
can add Ragu Sauce, for both flavor
and rich color. While the meat and past
cook, cut the whole mozzarella cheese
into vertical pieces. After the beef is
cooked and the pasta is softened you
can start putting together your lasagna. First start by placing slices of
pasta on the bottom of the baking tray,
enough to cover the entire tray. After,
add the meat, then the ricotta cheese,
you might need a spoon to spread the
ricotta cheese across the pan. After you
have added the pasta, beef, and ricotta
cheese and your vertically sliced mozzarella cheese, but make sure you have
enough cheese left over for the second
layer of the lasagna. Continue these
steps until you run out of ingredients
for your lasagna. Place your lasagna in
the oven, and let it bake for 40 minutes.
At 40 minutes poke your lasagna with
either a toothpick or fork, and if the
toothpick or fork comes out clean then
your lasagna is done. Let it cool off for
about 15-20 minutes, then serve.
La Lucha E-board:
Peter Rosado, President
Veronica Abreu, Vice President
Cristine Jacquez, Public Relations
Karina Escano, Community Service Chair
Giselle Perez, Secretary
Francis Fernandez, Web Administrator
Guramrit Khalsa, Editor-in-Chief La Voz Magazine
Thanks to Butta Love Photography
and our advisor Anthony Otero
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your student fee