by Silvana Tabares

For the Álvarez family, this Thanksgiving Day will be a much brighter one. The current economic situation has affected them – like so many families in the city – and they were unable to afford a traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year.

But thanks to an effort by Jewel-Osco to raise awareness about the growing need for hunger relief among Latinos, thousands of turkey meals will be donated throughout the holiday season to eight nonprofit organizations including Association House, Christopher House, El Hogar del Niño, El Valor, Erie Neighborhood House, Instituto del Progresso Latino, Mujeres Latinas en Accion and Casa Central. The initiative will feed about 5,500 people on Thanksgiving Day.

The Álvarez family is one out of 200 families from Casa Central that received a turkey dinner meal on Nov. 19. Armen Álvarez, a mother of four children, said she could relate to other mothers who are struggling in the current economic situation.

As a volunteer of the afternoon school programs at Casa Central, she noticed more families were under economic pressure.

“Many families are losing their jobs and cannot bring food to the table,” Álvarez said.

Álvarez arrived two years ago from Puerto Rico when the company she worked for relocated her to Chicago. She came here with a vision and to make a difference and saw the move as a good opportunity, but noticed the economic situation getting worse. She never visualized Chicago to be an expensive city to live in.
“It is a city with opportunity, but with a lot of expenses,” Álvarez said. “It is really expensive for any family. [This] financial situation is everywhere.”

She added that the cost of living is especially high in the Humboldt Park community and not all families in Casa Central can afford to buy a turkey. Even though she works as a community development specialist for the National PTA, she would like to teach families how to survive in the struggling economy.

Finish reading A joyous Thanksgiving celebration for a Latino family

Over 100 protesters marched on Chicago’s South Side to raise awareness of abused women and domestic violence on Oct. 31.

Marlen Torres, one of the marchers that wore skeleton makeup, walked at the head of the procession holding a pot of incense. The procession called for an end to domestic violence.

Since 1994, the “Silent too Long, Silent No More” rally has been held to break the stigma of silence that domestic violence has in communities. It creates dialogue about the issue to make positive changes to help women.

“I actually started working with victims of domestic violence in 2005 and since then, I’ve participated in the march,” said Guadalupe Miranda, a domestic violence counselor who works with Mujeres Latinas en Accion. “It’s [time] to make the public aware that domestic violence exists in our homes. People don’t know how to define it because it is [not only] physical, but also verbal and emotional.”

After a slight delay and the performance of an Aztec ceremony, the protesters began the mile long march through the Pilsen neighborhood. They held signs that read, “Stop the violence” and “Stop abusing mothers” in both English and Spanish. Marchers had pots and pans and banged them as they chanted, “No more violence, break the silence.”

“I’m here [protesting] drugs and violence at the same time. We’re supporting the people from Pilsen and Little Village. We want to stop the violence…this is all about no violence,” said Edward Campos, a construction worker.

Continue reading 'Silent too Long, Silent No More' March

by Katherine Ellis
trans. Víctor Flores

Opinion Piece

The Nov. 4 elections will make history not only in this country, but also all around the world. These elections are also important for our state, since we will be voting for a constitutional convention.

This year, I became a U.S. citizen and I feel it’s a great honor to be able to participate in this election and, thus, comply with this right and responsibility. It’s necessary, regardless of what our ethnic background is, to be an active part of the country that has housed us as its citizens and even more now, with the situation this country is current in.

We must commit ourselves to give a conscious vote, to recognize what needs to be done to change this country and move towards a better future. With all the existing informative tools nowadays – newspapers, Internet, TV and others – it’s indispensable that we know all the alternatives before choosing our preferences.

In the country that I was born in voting is voluntary. Nevertheless, when you vote, a voting card is issued. This document is needed for every type of legal proceeding and even to travel overseas, turning voting into an obligation.

In the U.S., we are free to choose whether we vote or not, but we are not taking the time to vote in a prepared and conscious way. When we do this, we are turning our back on a country that has given us so much.

Finish reading Voting is Our Voice