Folk Festival features renowned Puerto Rican musician Colón Zayas

By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent

Passion is difficult to contain; Edwin Colón Zayas’s oozes through his fingers, as they prickle and glide the silver strings of his cuatro, producing the most enchanting melodies.

The internationally renowned Puerto Rican is the master of the cuatro, a small guitar with five-double coursed strings, a staple of música jibara performers. Edwin Colon Zayas As he performed on Kent Stage for the 43rd Kent State Folk Festival on Nov. 5, 2009, his music mesmerized the 400 attendees, leaving them squirming in their seats with the rhythm and wishing for a dance floor.

 

Cleveland attracts thousands for El Día de los Muertos

By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent

Traffic stood still on Gordon Square’s section of Detroit Ave. in Cleveland on Oct. 31, 2009, as larger than life skeletons and colorful puppeteers paraded from the Orthodox Church to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Children and adults lined sidewalks cheering as a black hearse led the procession celebrating death. The 5th Cleveland celebration of El Día de los Muertos, organized by Artistas Latinos Unidos, attracted more than 1,000 spectators over three days.

 

LATINA discusses success for Latinas in politics

Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent

LATINA

Sonia Sotomayor’s approval as the U.S. Supreme Court Justice shattered a tough glass ceiling in Washington, D.C. but similar stories of Latinas succeeding in government and public sector can be found in Ohio too—including Gov. Ted Strickland’s recent announcement that he was appointing boricua Keila Cosme to be Appellate Judge for the 6th District—click here to see related story.

 

Teen Summit at Library encourages creativity to beat the odds

Tony Medina

“What does poetry mean to you?” Tony Medina—an award-winning hip-hop artist, teacher, poet, activist, and author—asked a room full of middle and high school students. Muffled answers prompted him to get the energy flowing.

 

Cleveland Scholarship Programs: Making college affordable

By Arooj Ashraf, LaPrensa Correspondent

Students in need of financial assistance have an ally in the Cleveland Scholarship Programs, which serves 11 counties in Northeast Ohio, providing an average of $3 million in scholarships annually.

Victor Ruiz, Assistant Vice President, Advisory Services, at CSP, said the organization has been upholding its mission to increase college enrollment for 40 years. “Many organizations have been modeled after us around the country,” said Ruiz.

 

Compass Consulting pointing organizations in the right direction

Ruth E. Ramos & Dr. Tameka L. Taylor of Compass Consulting Services LLC.

By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent

Ruth E. Ramos and Tameka L. Taylor, PhD., founded Compass Consulting Services, LLC at the peak of an economic collapse to point corporations in the right direction of cultivating inclusive environments in a diverse world.

“Everyone told us ‘Don’t do it,” said Ramos; but armed with ambition, resilience and exceptional work ethic the two embarked on a journey to better organizations and the world, one at a time.

 

Packed Race for new Ward 14 City Council Seat

By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent

Nelson Cintrón, Brian Cummins, James D’Amico, Rick Nagin, and Moises Torres.

Seven candidates are competing against incumbent Cleveland Councilman Joe Santiago for his Ward 14 seat in the Sept. 8, 2009 primary election.The largest Cleveland Latino neighborhood inspired politicians to polish their Spanish skills as they discussed their plans for the Ward, flaunted their qualifications and list of endorsements at the City Club of Cleveland on Aug. 27, 2009.

 

Nueva Luz marks 10 years of giving light

By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent

Nueva Luz Urban Resource Center marked 10 years of providing critical support for patients with HIV/AIDS and fighting the root cause of systemic poverty among Latino and other underserved minorities.

NLUR hosted its 4th annual fundraiser, Fiesta de Luz, at the Terrace Club at Progressive Field, Cleveland, on Aug. 29, 2009.

 

La Boca features salsa and art to fight against cancer

La Boca Art Director Madelyn Zone and La Boca owner Rosita Kukut at Cleveland event.

By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent August 22, 2009:

La Boca offers more than mouthwatering Argentinean inspired food; it provides a great setting for Cleveland artists to display their creativity and entertain patrons with salsa and tango lessons every weekend nights.

The charming restaurant located on 5800 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, featured works from three Latino artists: Gabriel González, Rosalina Morales, and Bruno Casiano; and donated portions of the night’s proceeds to Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer awareness.

 

Clevelanders learn from young Venezuelan delegation

By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent Cleveland Council on World Affairs hosted an eight-member delegation of young political leaders from Venezuela between Aug. 20 to 26, 2009, giving them a comprehensive view of life and politics in the United States. The delegates are part of the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program arranged by Academy for Educational Development.

 

Community health centers provide prime examples of low cost, high quality health care

Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent National Health Centers Week held Aug. 10-15, 2009 nationwide drew attention to the bright side of the health care debate and encouraged legislators to support reform bill. Community Health Centers serve 18 million people nationwide, providing low income, uninsured patients with primary, preventive, dental care, addiction rehab, treatment for chronic and terminal diseases like HIV.

Megan Havey, Jenice Contréras, Francis Afram-Gyening, and Willie Austin.

 

Cleveland’s Diversity Edge

By Arooj Ashraf, La Prensa Correspondent

Deborah Plummer, Margaret W. Wong, Andrew Jackson, and Veronica Dahlberg.

Cleveland’s cultural and diversity combined with strategic location in the Northeast gives the city a unique edge if it can balance the delicacy of inclusion and growth in the corporate sector. Executive Caterers at Landerhaven hosts monthly Corporate Club luncheons among community leaders to discuss big ideas at work in Northeast Ohio and on Aug. 13, 2009, presented a forum to highlight Cleveland’s diversity edge.