Latinos in the New Milennium Report

8/14/2019 Latinos in the New Milennium Report

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A Conference

New Immigrants, New Empowerment, New Leaders

October 8-10, 1999

Providence Marriott

One Orm Street

Providence, RI 02904


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The Providence Journal

Diversity Initiative

Jointly sponsored by:

Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy (CHisPA)Progreso Latino

Governors Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs


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Table of Content

.......................................................................................................................................................1

........................................................................................................................................................1

A Conference..................................................................................................................................1

New Immigrants, New Empowerment, New Leaders ...................................................................1

........................................................................................................................................................1

October 8-10, 1999..........................................................................................................................1

Providence Marriott

One Orm Street...............................................................................................................................1

Providence, RI 02904.....................................................................................................................1

Executive Summary........................................................................................................................6

Education Empowerment...............................................................................................................8

Census 2000..................................................................................................................................12

Immigration Reform.....................................................................................................................14

Black & Brown Relations.............................................................................................................16

Latinos Health..............................................................................................................................18

Latinos Health Issues Findings............................................................................................................19FACTORS AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF LATINOS....................................................................................19Mental Health Issues............................................................................................................................................19RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................................................................19PROBLEMS..........................................................................................................................................................20

Economic Development................................................................................................................21

ISSUES..................................................................................................................................................22

Latino Youth Leadership..............................................................................................................23

Developing Political Empowerment Among Latinos.........................................................................26

Promoting Youth and Latino Politicians

for the next Millennium..............................................................................................................27

Plenary Round Table....................................................................................................................28

1999 Latinos in the New Millenium

Conference Program...................................................................................................................30Friday October 8, 1999................................................................................................................... .....30

Saturday October 9, 1999....................................................................................................................30Sponsored by NORDSTROM, The Providence Journal & RI Council of The Arts............................................34

Sunday, October 10th, 1999.................................................................................................................34

Hispanic conference opens dialogue about race ........................................................................35

Negros e hispanos discutieron sobre sus relaciones...................................................................37

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Board votes to expand bilingual services.....................................................................................39

A baseline on the state's care, conditions....................................................................................42

Conferencia Latinos en el Nuevo Milenio..................................................................................45

About CHisPA......................................................................................................................................46

About Progreso Latino.........................................................................................................................47

About The Governor's Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs.................................................47

About Quisqueya In Action.................................................................................................................48

Sponsors........................................................................................................................................49

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Executive Summary

As we await the arrival of a new millenium, we face stark choices regarding the kind of futurewe envision for the community and our local communities. We can become a dividedcommunity, segregated along economic, social, ethnic and racial lines or we can become acommunity where families and communities are weakened, of extreme inequality, of violenceand hate, in which our productive force and leadership in the world are diminished. We canbecome, for the first time, a community in which our children can no longer look forward to afuture that is better than that of their parents.

Conversely, we can become a united and even greater community, a community that values all ofits citizens, where communities and families are strong and prosper, where we encourage andbuild on our rich diversity. We can be an even more prosperous community, where we bringtogether the enormous productive potential of all of our people, where all have an equalopportunity to contribute to our economy and to our future-to have a decent job, a goodeducation, to be healthy-and to thrive through our enterprise and hard work. We can become acommunity where every child can have a full and productive life. It is our choice.

No group has a larger stake in the path our community chooses between now and new milleniumthan Latinos. Latinos comprise more than 50 percent of this state, including almost 49 percent ofthe school age population. It is the youngest and fastest growing minority. Soon after the turn ofthe century, Latinos will represent the largest minority group in the United States, and within 50years 20 percent of the entire population will be Latinos. As citizens with a substantial role andstake in the future of this state, we, Latino Americans- look forward with hope and promise to acommunity that truly reflects the "American dream."

But even as we are hopeful, we are disturbed by the widening gaps in economic and socialopportunity between Latinos and non-Latinos. For this reason, we call on political leaders ofboth parties, as well as corporate and community leaders, to support policies and programs thatpromote justice, compassion, and prosperity for all of this community's citizens. On behalf of allmajor ethnic groups in the Latino community, the Latinos In The new Millenium ConferenceSummary offers its perspectives and findings as a policy agenda for the Latino community ofRhode Island. The recommendations herein are the result of extensive and broad-baseddiscussion in the Latino community and the work of conference attendants. They represent avision for today and tomorrow that will enhance the community's democracy and strengthen ourcommunity character.

Latinos in Rhode Island face many serious challenges. Nearly 30 percent of Latinos live inpoverty.

The unemployment rate among Latinos still hovers near 10 percent, even in the face of animproving overall employment picture, and the average wage of working Latinos remains wellbelow the state average. Almost one-third of working Latinos lack health insurance and Latinoshave disproportional high rates of certain diseases such as diabetes and AIDS. More than threetimes as many Latinos children drop out of school than their Anglo American counterparts.

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But even with these challenges-which demand careful and constructive attention at the National,state and local government level-Latinos see ahead a more prosperous and better America forthemselves and their children. The vitality, work ethic and commitment to a better tomorrowamong Latino Americans are vital assets for this community. Recognizing that Latinos issues are

America's issues Latinos stand ready to work as full partners with their fellow citizens to fulfillthe promise of the next millenium.

The Latinos In The new Millenium Conference focused on issues in eight major areas: (1)Education; (2) Health; (3) Economic Development (4) Census 2000; (5) Youth Leadership; (6)Immigration Reform; (7) The temping of Latinos and (8) Blank an Brown Relationship. Theseissues are the chief concerns of Latinos across the state and across the state. We offer a numberof recommendations in each of these areas that can contribute to a more economically andsocially prosperous community.

These recommendations take into account the need for a shared responsibility among

government, business, community-based organizations, and individuals in addressing the needsof Latinos citizens and of all citizens. They also take into account our own responsibility ascitizens workers, family members and members of our community. We understand theimportance of State government leadership and support for comprehensive reforms. At the sametime, we recognize that most lasting change is initiated and takes hold at the local level. Therecommendations set forth herein, reflect that understanding of a shared obligation.

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Education Empowerment

Tomas Ramirez: INTRODUCTION TO LATINOS IN EDUCATION

Statistical Review of Local and National Trends (e.g. foreign vs. native born statistics, High School drop out rates, college admissions Igraduations, etc.).

Key Policy Issues put forward by various studies, etc. on Latinoeducation (e.g. parental involvement, affirmative action for teachers andadministrators, ESL vs. immersion, etc. etc.)

Other panelists: RESPONSE TO TRENDS AND POLICIES

Each panelist reviews how trends and policy ideas are working out in his/her environment. Ideally, we will have panelist who represents a varietyof perspectives such as Providence School System Administrators,Elementary or Secondary Teachers, College Teacher, College AdmissionsPeople, Etc.

Open Discussion: SHARING IDEAS / QUESTIONS & ANSWER

Audience members will be invited to share their perspectives, ask questions, etc. on the abovenoted topics.

Wrap-up: MOVING FORWARD:

Each panelist will be invited to give his/her recommendation for action at three levels: (1) stategovernment (2) municipality's (3) Latino activist organizations.

EDUCATION EMPOWERMENT

Tomas Ramirez:

31 million Latinos now in the U.S

30% under the age of 15 Only 13% work in managerial/professional jobs Latinos kidseducational disadvantage starts early with 4 years olds significantly less school ready with basicskills than white kids.

Latino students are more likely to repeat grades & by the age of 13 Latino kids are 24 yearsbehind white kids on disciplines such as reading, math & science.

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Latino dropout rate in about 40% & Latino students dropout in earlier grades.

In 1993; 6% of AA degrees awarded to Latinos 4% of Bachelor degrees

3% of Masters degrees 2% of Doctoral degrees In Providence, 40% of students are Latino (31% drop out rate) & C.F 54% are Latino (55 % dropout rate)

KEY POLICY ISSUES;

Inequality in school financing. Under representation of Latinos in school personnel inadequate teachersmulticultural training Insufficient E.S.L./bilingual programs.

Misplacement of Latino students in special education Inadequate post secondary financial aid Lack of school safety. Poverty & segregating of Latino student

Romina Carillo Yamil Gomez Carol Guzman

Latino parents are assumed to be disinterested when they in fact may not know how to beinvolved.

Latino student teachers get "traded" into bilingual even if there interests lay elsewhere (e.sscience, math)

Latino students do not have strong role models (or any role models in the schools.Latino students "get lost" in school systems, which does not know how to serve them or miss"trades" them.

Latino parents should not discount private school alternatives, many of which are seeking todiversity & have financial aid available; private schools may however not be equipped to dealwith diversity.

DISUSSION:

Dropout rate is especially high among nonnative born Latinos; the dropout rate may also besubstantially greater than reputed because it does not count per 8th grade dropouts.The counts & needs to be outraged & express that outrage.

We need to work with & support superintendent.

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Male Latino students are at particular risk, doing less well than Latinas academically & havingsignificant behavioral issues.

Parts need to be educated about the importance of ed Taking the kid out of school for a monthduring winter to visit "home" is not acceptable.

We need to focus serious efforts serous efforts on the virtual nondiversity of the Central Fallsteaching/admin ranks.

We need to encourage Latino students to go into teaching.

MAJOR RECOMENDATIONS;

STATE LEVEL;

Work with super land, legislator, etc On the continuing School Financing Equity issue

We need to help establish funding formulas that take into account poverty, limited Englishproficiency Etc/

Work with State Dept of Pd, & others to establish C.F as a laboratory for school diversity,innovation, etc.

Wok with legislator, industry to foster time off for parental visits/involvement in schools.

MUNICIPAL LEVEL:

A. Betters train teachers in:(1) parental involvement(2) Working with diverse populations(3) Burnout management(4) Bilingual education.

B. Promote parental involvement thru:(1) mandatory & monthly meetings(2) weekly newsletter(3) open house(4) participation in establishing learning objectives(5) training opportunities & parenting & others topics(6) More flexible parent/teachers meeting places/times.

C. Promote student involvement thru:(1) internship programs(2) smaller schools or schools within schools(3) enhanced technology assess.Diversify faculty & staff thru:

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(1) focused recruitment efforts(2) providing post secondary financial aide to student willing to return to district asteachers.

LATINO AGENCIES:

A. Initiate lawsuits based on funding, student (lack of) achievement & lack of staff diversity,etc.

B. Work with Latino parents (especially single moms) in helping them to assess & bettermanage education system.

C. Work with Latino parents around helping their kids succeeds: getting kids to school on timemonitoring homework; not taking kids out of school for extended periodicals, etc.

D. Utilize school based data to provide consumers reports style guides that will promote action

& change.

Prepared by: Ralph Rodriguez

EDUCATION EMPOWERMENT: (Defiance Room) 9/9/99

We need to have long term goalsHispano America will concist 25% population64% of Hispano American were born in U.S raised in U.S.

Quality Education begins at birth. What mother knows while pregnant have a significance to baby Latino students are mostly to be held back in middle school Age 9 Latino students lack behind math, science and writing The longer Latino students stay, school harder it becomes for them Hispanic students tend to drop out of school at 9th grade the have the highestdropout rate.

POLITICAL ISSUES:

Inequality school financing Segregation/poverty Lack of school/safety Post secondary of financial aid School personnel staff Training of personnel Higher education Few Latinos in administration education exist today There are new challenges compared to our parents or grandparents immigration toU.S we phase more difficult standards as well as barriers.

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Many Latinos don't want to go into education because of all they will phase it is acomplicated system that needs a lot of changes, progress more Latino teachers areneeded so youth has a role model someone to look up to regardless of the challengesthat need to be there for the new generation to represent who we are.

Moses Brown looking for diversity New students have a hard time blending in because white population drive to school w/ BMW'S while the Latinos seethemselves with no power not able to afford such luxury Moses Brown is offeringfinancial aid to students who can afford to come to this private school.

Census 2000

After the last national headcount, Census Bureau officials admitted they had undercountedminorities much more than the broader population, and that Hispanics had fared worse than mostother groups. At a national level, 4.4 percent Blacks and 5.2 Hispanics were overlookedcompared to 1.6 percent of the total population. Hispanics and bureau officials agreed that thegovernment should begin its outreach efforts to all communities earlier than it had in the past.That effort will include a media campaign and all local community groups would be encouragedto participate. However, other issues provoked debate, and many remain skeptical about theCensus Bureau's estimates of those who were overlooked in the last census.

On a local level, leaders in the Hispanic community have expressed strong disappointment in thefigures produced by the 1990 census, going as far as saying that they undercounted that population by more than half. Recently, CHisPA, the Governor's Advisory Commission onHispanic Affairs, Progreso Latino and RILPAC held a press conference where they launched ElCenso 2000, a plan to join forces in an effort to work together towards getting a more accuratecensus count in Rhode Island. With the help of local organizations representing various levels

and interests, these four groups presented a plan which would involve bilingual/bicultural censustakers and bilingual programs and information outlining the importance of being counted. Thisinformation will be disseminated to the state's Spanish-speaking population via the media andother resources.

With higher numbers comes growth, empowerment and the opportunity to share in the resourceswhich give community strength. A panel of community leaders will be brought together todiscuss ways in which he or she, through the organization which they represent, can contribute toEl Censo 2000 campaign in Rhode Island. A plan will be outlined, and members of the CensusBureau on how each of us can become involved will provide information. Groups will includemembers of youth groups, churches, legislators, and community organizers.

The new millennium will bring great opportunities for members of the Hispanic community ofRhode Island to become involved in areas such as politics, government, education and otherpolicy-making roles. Hispanic youth, today's young leaders, hoping to learn how to becomeinvolved in making change can learn how the census and an accurate count can affect the futureof our community, and thus the future of Hispanics in this country as a whole.

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Invited panelists: Virginia Gomez, Girl Scouts of RI; Representative Marsha Carpenter,heading the redistricting commission in Rhode Island; Rev. Julio Filomeno and Rev. MichaelDivine, representing the clergy; Jose' Aleman, Vice-Principal-Central High School inProvidence; Councilman Luis Aponte, member of the Providence City Council; and Delia Smidt,US Bureau of Census, Providence Office.

Moderator: Marta V. Martinez, Chair, and Governor's Advisory Commission on HispanicAffairs

CENSUS 2000

Angelo Falcn

Regional coalition to be established need for equal representation of Hispanic.

3Rs Representation (religion, education) Resources Recognition and Respect

50% Latinos undercounted rate

Factors contributing to UndercountPoverty, geography, language, survey fatigue, quality enumerators

SolutionsCommunity networking, advocacy, media develop regional Latino Advisory CommitteeNational Hispanic.Media CoalitionRI legislature in 2000

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Immigration Reform

Recent federal legislation has raised financial roadblocks to the reunification of families.

Regulations explaining recent legislation has yet to be promulgated creating confusion and roomfor abuse. Immigrant families are often confused about entitlements for -which they may or maynot be, eligible (e.g. education and health care versus public assistance) This confusion may leadfamilies to not access necessary services. Further, families may fail to register the Americanborn children of undocumented parents with negative consequences for these children.

The recent "anti-terrorism act" has, in some cases, been misapplied to persons with minoroffense histories. Also, individuals may be advised to admit to (committed 'or not) crimesunaware of the potential negative impact to their immigration status.

Though most Latinos in the U.S. are not immigrants, immigration policy has an important impact

on the civil rights of all Hispanics, many of whom are often mistaken for immigrants.

The Immigration Reform workshop will conduct immigration policy analysis and advocacyactivities by expert civil rights activists. The primary focus of these activities is to encourageimmigration policies that are fair and nondiscriminatory and to encourage family reunification,while assuring effective and orderly border controls.

The immigration Reform workshop will become an advocate on this issue and invite experts onimmigration to address the following topics.

Public charge and "antiterrorism" acts to consider strategies and fathering"individuals out.

Meet with national legal defense groups and research possible actions to take.

Educate the immigrant community regarding its rights to some direct services.

Educate the immigrant community regarding its legal rights in the immigrationprocess

IMMIGRATION REFORM

MARK MORRISON, BRUNO

La ley Anti terrorista, la ley de Welfare han causado la separacion de familias

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La cosa mas negativas, es que las leyes son pasadas y regresan retroativamente510 aos atras, lo cual affecta familias separandolas, hecho y directo no garantizanada

La situacion en Newport es otro aspecto que demuestra los cambios de la ley de

immigration. Communicacion es improtante dentro de la comunidad tenemos qe seguircomunicando con los legisladores.

La ley de este pais ha sido poner un grupo contra otro los problemas no soncausados por los mas recientes.

Los congresistas mismos le quitan el "due process" a los immigrantes con lasleyes que han aprovado.

La immigracion es para reunir familias y los congresistas son culpables por los

problemas de imigration

NORELYS CONSUEGRA

Es my importante que la comunidad sepa que tiene que comunicarse con laoficina de sus representantes y tiene derechos como humanos.

Los ciudadanos tienen el derecho de reclamar.

La comunidad tiene que entender las propuestas de ley, tales como las amnistias alos indocumentados.

La comunidad se confunde con las leyes y su proceso de implementacion.

La propuesta de ley 176, ilegal imigrante, quiere cambiarlas, para que no sea tanretroactiva.

Luis Gutieres Introdujo propuesta de ley para ammistia a los Columbianos yPeruanos.

Las organizaciones comunitarias debe de asignar una persona encargada pararepasar las leyes de imigracion.

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Black & Brown Relations

T0 the African American community, a community which struggled long and hard to make aplace for itself in a nation that has put every imaginable roadblock before it, the rising numbersof Hispanics are staggering and threatening. According the U.S. Bureau of Census, by the year2076, the 21 million Hispanics who legally reside in the United States today will have multipliedto 57 million, making them the largest ethnic minority in the country. (Add to that the estimatesof undocumented Hispanics, which are as high as 10 million). In the County of Los Angeles, 38percent of the population is Hispanic, compared to 11 percent African American. Neighborhoodsthat have been long assumed to be primarily Black, such as Watts and South Central, are, in fact,already half Hispanic and by the end of the century, will be predominantly so as witnessed by therapid replacement of BBQ pork rib joints by taquerias.

On a local level, the African American and Hispanic communities through the years haveWorked together toward positive change on a number of occasions, such as a march on FederalHill which brought Black organizations; such as the Providence chapter of the NAACP and localHispanic leaders together to speak out against violence during an incident which occurred in thatneighborhood in the late 1 980s; census and redistricting efforts which help elect the firstHispanic legislator in Rhode Island in the early 1990s; and the attempts by the Black Caucus andthe Hispanic Commission members to work to toward uniting their agendas with regard to issuesinvolving, state government. However, in recent years, on a number of occasions, levels ofdisagreement between the two communities have reached a high pitch, leading to the point ofaccusations during recent elections of racial intolerance and political misconduct by one groupagainst the other.

In 1993, a Black/Hispanic Forum was held at Alton Jones in North Kingston, where leaders of

both communities were invited to talk, share and plan a future where they could work together tomake one agenda which would benefit both communities as we neared the next century. Out ofthat Forum a plan was developed which would begin to open doors, particular for our youth)who would become leaders in the new millennium. Political empowerment was a major issuediscussed, as was the importance of joining forces to share and learn from one another. Sharingagendas, developing programs at the community level, and mentoring one another (Blackslearning from Hispanic experiences, and vise versa), and learning how similar our histories andplights are were high on the list of recommendations.

Beginning at 2:30 p.m. on October 9, 1999, a panel of nine (9) members representing RhodeIsland's Hispanic and African American leaders will discuss issues around this topic ~/for one

hour, followed by: l/2 hour of questions from the audience. At the end of the session, plan will beoutlined from which the two groups will draw additional recommendations and a date will be setto meet and further discuss solution-building ideas.

Invited Panelists: Senator Charles Walton (First African-Amencan Senator in RI); CliffordMonteiro (President NAACP-Providence); Rosemary Santos (Executive Director Flack & BrownFund); Dennis Langley (Executive Director, Urban League of RI); Victor Capellan (ExecutiveDirector, CHisPA); Marta V. Martinez (Chair, Hispanic Commission); Anastasia Williams (First

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Hispanic elected to House of Representatives); Luis Aponte (First Hispanic on Providence CityCouncil); Patricia Martinez (Executive Director, Progreso Latino).

Moderator: Larry Turner, Office of Community Relations, US Dept. of Justice

Black and Brown Relationship

Black Caucus Minority Health legislationBlack and Brown dialogueHealth care advocacy

ECONOMY= Negative, PositiveDifference of government communication between brown/black

VsLocal Community

IMMIGRANTS

Where does the Black caucus stand? Competition/power between groups Restoring rights to vote to people of colors Lack of communication Accountability of media

NEGATIVE

(Put color into Governor's office)

IDEA OF EDUCATING AND TRAINING

Training our people through:Education , technology

DISPARITY IN WEALTH

Define common principles minimum wage buys 20% less now income decreasing 20 years have been withholding $

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Latinos Health

Hispanics suffer a greater incidence of some highly preventable diseases, such as AIDS,tuberculosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and breast and cervical cancer, than other U.S.

groups. Moreover, Hispanics are less likely to have access to health insurance, adequatepreventive medical care, or public health education materials.

The conference health workshop will work to address culturally-relevant, bilingual healtheducation and promotional materials issues for those in the Hispanic community not beingreached by national, mainstream health education efforts, as well as to provide assistance in theform of model programs, consultation, and training to Hispanic community-based organizationsand mainstream health agencies. We will address the following issues affecting the Latinocommunity:

Access to Health Care - Access to quality health care must be considered a right, not a privilege.

Universal health insurance and other mechanisms must be provided to overcome barriers tohealth care. Any insurance reform must provide coverage for working poor and workinguninsured. As a stopgap measure, Medicaid should be expanded to include: a) coverage for allthose in poverty; b) presumptive eligibility and continuous care for pregnant women; and c)coverage for mental health care.

Quality Health Care - Integrated, comprehensive preventive and primary care should be morereadily available in a culturally competent, easily accessible and affordable setting incommunities with a high concentration of Hispanics.

Preventive Health Care - Attention to preventive services and public health needs of Hispanicsshould be a feature of all health initiatives. Culturally appropriate campaigns to educate thepublic about AIDS, substance abuse, prenatal care, and other health-related matters should bedeveloped by federal, state and local health agencies as well as by private health servicesproviders.

Research - Federal support for research into diseases which disproportionally afflict Hispanicsshould be increased, particularly at research institutions such as the National Institutes of Health.

Health Data - Hispanic health data should be collected regularly in a uniform and comprehensivemanner. A new national Hispanic health survey, like HHANES, should be commissioned,

ensuring representative sampling of Hispanic subgroups.

Hispanic Health Professionals - The number of Hispanic health professionals and health careproviders in all fields must be significantly increased. Cultural competence must be a priority forhealth care providers and government agencies.

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Latinos Health Issues Findings

FACTORS AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF LATINOS

1. Economics poverty/housing profit us need driven care2. Age younger population3. Education reading proficiency drop out rate4. Access to health language

Lack of regular source/fragmented Uninsured/underinsured Undocumented status Navigational

5 Mental HealthSee back

6 Lack of understanding of the immigrant experience7 Lack of providers

Quality of interpreters8. Lack of coordination and outreach9. Cultural competency10. Lack of basic research

Mental Health Issues

Statistics Access to services Increase awareness

1. Medical liability crisis

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Copy of report to MHRH, policy makers, hospitals etc2. DOH & DHS must increase DEA, MHRH, DCYF coordination

Communicate to coordinate committee/legislators

3. Increase resources/investment Actively recruit

4. Increase diversity workforce5. English as second language classes and Spanish for health professionals.6. Support & encourage mentors7. Coalition building

organization other ethnic & racial groups

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8. Personal/institutional advocacy

PROBLEMS

People have a narrow view of the health issues because they are view as Latino issues not asissues of the poor.

The way Latinos use healthcare is not frequent and consistent.

% of population having no health insurance. Latinos 25% Average 10%

HIV patients lack cultural competency DOS & DHS lack coordination

Lack of recognition of bilingual children's background Language barriers Unqualified interpreters Busy clinics affect the relationship of the patient and provider Fragmented care, no people attention at those busy clinics No uniform system to meet the community's needs Social services have been cut back Ends of life/after death care based on cultural beliefs are not met.

RECOMENDATIONS

Decrease % of Latinos uninsured Building coalition w/other organization & ethnic groups ESL classes people & Spanish classes for health professors Personal/Institutional Advocacy Actively recruit Increase Diversity in the work force Basic Research Support & encourage mentors

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Economic Development

Economic growth and employment creations are crucial variables in any urban revitalizationstrategy. Jobs -- their quality, availability and location - and access to economic opportunity are

critical building blocks on which a city, its people and its businesses depend.

It is necessary to understand the nature of both the local workforce and the occupations that localand regional industries will employ so that effective strategies may be developed to ensure thatProvidence residents will be able to access and compete for available jobs.

It is also necessary to understand the economic and financial environment in which employersand entrepreneurs must operate so that effective strategies may be developed to increase thenumber and variety of jobs in Providence and the metropolitan region, e.g., by attracting businesses to the area, helping existing businesses to grow, and providing the necessaryenvironment, resources, and tools to start new businesses.

In light of the major demographic changes our state is experiencing and the explosive growth ofLatino businesses across this nation and in Rhode Island, and as we approach the nextmillennium, our aim is to assist in facilitating a systematic, gateway approach, to economicdevelopment in the Latino community and all other sectors that interact with it.

Despite some improvement in the last decade, more economic development is crucial ifHispanics are ever to attain a full and equal place in American society. Latino leaders need tofurnish Hispanic businesses with training services and management expertise. Leaders also needto assist entrepreneurs in starting new businesses and helps small businesses expand.

Because the current environment has shifted from the government to corporate America and thecommunity entities, the politicians in Washington are a lot more inhospitable now than in the past and it's tougher getting equal rights laws pass. Since this time is not conducive forgovernment activism, self-sufficiency has become the key strategy.

Economic Development for the Latino community should not only mean accumulation ofcapital, but more importantly the development of an infrastructure within our communities,economic development, business development, job creation all have to do with developing acommunity. Economic development is the active participation in the creation of individual andcollective wealth in the community where one lives, participating in the economic revitalizationof our own neighborhoods as producers, manufacturers and sellers. A community will remain

powerless when it only consumes.

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ISSUES Lack of Representation of Latinos in Boards and the decision making process Lack of community involvement and active participation Followers to predictors of trend.

Service recipient to service providers The fulfillment of basic financial needs to one of expansion Lack of institutional infrastructure

RECOMMENDATIONS

Organize the community Create partnerships with other organizations Provide creative solutions and concrete results as well as benefits Delegate or assign someone to advocate for the community Start pressuring for results from all angles Tap into legislation for funding and policymaking

Involve the community through the media and university groups Talk to the majority group about what interest them and what they gain about it And most of all, perseverance and patience.

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Latino Youth Leadership

The development of young Latino leaders is essential to achieving full Latino participation in thenation's social and economic mainstream. Leaders play a critical role in organizing communities

for self-determination, advocating for community improvement, and representing the interests ofthe communities they lead.

The conference organizers believed that leadership is already present in each community, butgenerally undeveloped to its full potential. Its leadership development efforts, therefore, seek tohelp community-based organizations identify and support young Latino leaders who havecommitment to their communities and to develop their knowledge, skills, and experience so thatthey can work effectively within and outside the Hispanic community to improve its resources,services, and opportunities.

The conference Latino Youth Leadership workshop is designed to help Latinos become well-

positioned to develop the community leadership necessary to serve as social change agents. TheConference works to accomplish this by creating formal partnerships with emerging communityyouth leaders, helping them develop their capacity to improve their leadership which are likely tobring about positive change and empowerment for their communities, and managing a localnetwork of organizations involved in leadership development.

The Latino Youth Leadership workshop will serve as a forum to increase public participation byRhode Island Latino youth. It seeks to increase the number and support the effectiveness ofemerging young advocates, activists and Leaders from Rhode Island' Latino communities as ameans of working towards full Latino participation in the political, economic, health andcommunity life of Rhode Island.

The Latino Youth Leadership workshop seeks to empower the Latino community so that its"clout" is commensurate with its size. The workshop focused particularly on involving and sup-porting Latino youth so that they can become a positive force for community development forLatinos and the broader society. Over time, it hopes to create changes in individuals,community-based organizations, and the broader public, private, and voluntary sectors.

Among the workshops long-term goals are the following:

A strong and continuously growing network of Latino Leaders who play a key role in policymaking throughout the state;

Increased Latino voter registration and voting rates;

Increased Latino involvement in electoral politics, and equitable representation among electedand appointed officials at both local and state levels;

Equitable Latino representation on mainstream nonprofit hoards and staffs;

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An organized Latino community demonstrating unity in its diversity, participating fully and ac-tively in advocacy and public policy efforts throughout the state; andStronger, better-funded Latino community-based organizations with a strong sense ofcommunity accountability.

LATINOS YOUTH LEADERSHIP (Republic Room)

Will be discussed Living & immigrating to U.S and how youth deals with it. Dif. b/w being Latino/Hispanic? Spanish? What do you classify yourself?

Do you get offended when your categorize as Latino/Hispanic/SpanishIt all tends to contradict one another but society makes it be indecisive of what ; who your areEx: parents, friends media etc... everyone is categorized White, Italian, etc... but the question iswho are we really and what are we?. We must define ourselves by our roots many categorizethemselves by language.

There might have been people who didn't pick this workshop because they don't considerthemselves Latino (they might not be comfortable with that term).

LATINO/HISPANIC/SPANISH:

"Is our unity" maybe the language? Religion is what unite us under these categories. Latino can fall under Roman Spanish can fall under Spain

We aren't all of one culture or the other. Adults shouldn't make the Latino youth feel guilty thesnowed be sensitive to their feelings & beliefs.

Many times the Latino youth are put down by friends Ex: you're Spanish? Can't read or writeSpanish.

Teachers Ex: You're Spanish why are you in my class you should know how to write, read,speck it. The Latino youth are given more challenges and making them feel bad.

Being young has a lot of influences what does society expect we have to identifying themselveswith a culture.

Youth in general are always pressured by adults they need to live to others expectation.

Don't teach but help them (youth) conquer the challenges they will be phasing.

You chose the category depending on your identity, your beliefs how you feel about the specificcategory.

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Do you believe that person born in America a person being raised from childhood compared toan immigrant child face a difference?.

Is being P.R or Dominican etc. Make your a stronger person when you come from your countryand makes you be proud of who you are making it less difficult to survive in U.S. or is your

background culture makes you feel acquired because your don't fit with the norm (blue eyes).Your don't want to feel alienated.

There are kids who are Hispanic but may not know how to speak Spanish so the Spanishspeaking kids say they not true Hispanic.

Your parents don't influence what you consider yourself only when your a baby but as you getolder you make your category because they want to be down with the youth, fit in so they goingthrough a change so they chose to be who they are.

Most of the time we adapt to the identity given in the city we live in most of us are bicultural .

it's an honor to be able to speak two languages and communicate.

The gear that youth wear has to do with style being up to date with fashion not because theydress with baggy pants they are drug dealers, this is an example of the categories society (thenorm) gives to us and the stereotyping begins.

It is scary for youth to identify themselves as a certain person with certain culture in U.S. youthgoes to many challenges school, clubs were ever they go they phase a challenge now a days.Most time they identify themselves with the English Language.

The youth must know that they can be what who they want to be learning any perceptions. Mosttime the youth chose to be what they take pride in.

The adults (parents) try to make youth think or believe that they are better than the rest becausethey are Hispanic/Spanish when reality and that we are all equal no one should be better than theother flexibility must occur we live in a dynamic world.

THE TEMPING OF LATINOS

There has been an explosion of insecure jobs in the last decade. Today, up to 25% of theworkforce is either working part-time or in some other contingent job. This workshop willinclude a discussion of ways to confront employers abuse of workers in contingent jobsincluding direct action, organizing worker centers and legislative strategies

El trabajo temporal dura mas o menos de un mes entonces combiar lamentalidad de la gente con otros.

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Hay trabajadores que han trabajado con campanias por muchos anos, y hay quedarle siguimiento a las leyes estatales.

Hay trabajadores que quieren organizarce y no lo pueden hacer por la situacionmigatoria de cada uno de ellos.

Cuales son las prioridad de la coalicion de trabajadores comision legislativaformada por once miembros y es el oido oficial de los trabajadores temporales.Incrementar lo bond a $50K por las nuevos companias temporales que quieran abriren RI.

Organizar los trabajadores, educarles informales las leyes que solicitaron no se losdieron todo lo que pidieron y tiene que darle seguimiento a quienes esten cumpliendocon las leyes.

Speidell, Wworstern, Superior are closing.

Developing Political Empowerment Among LatinosKeynote Speaker Angelo Falcn, Executive Director

Institute of Puerto Rican Policy/Puerto Rican Legal Defense & Education Fund

How do we take the large numbers of Latinos and turn them into political and economicempowerment.

Statistics don't mean anything, because most of us will be death when they become a reality.

We need to start developing pan ethnic alliances in order to assure our empowerment.

We must start questioning whether established Latino groups such as the Puerto Ricans will bewilling to share power with other Latinos.

Working together is the major challenge faced by the Latino communities and we need to stayabreast of ethnic change.

We need to start acting like the majority that we are and stop being apologetic while raising theante about everything we ask for.

We need to start taking power strategically and share power with other minority groups whilebuilding coalitions regionally and rely in each other.

We need to capitalize with the consulates involvement with community organizations and usesuch relationships to raise our issues.

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We need to overcome the political access mentality, because we've been able to elect officialsand move forward to the post access stage of insuring that our elected representatives areresponding to our communities needs.

We also need to start challenging political parties and Latino elected officials, because reaching

political parity doesn't mean anything if we don't know the following:Who are these representatives responsible to?Are they using their ethnicity for political purposes?

We also need to take on the media and enforce their responsibilities with their communities.

Sometimes Latinos tend to be too polite, and don't reach high enough.

We need to seat down and strategize for the upcoming redistriciting and work together, worksmart and include everyone while putting other people on notice and questioning their intents.

Promoting Youth and Latino Politicians

for the next Millennium

Moderator: Juan M. Pichard, Campaign Manager, 1996, 1998 Victor F. Capelln, District 20Campaign.

Panelist: Otisha Chaplin, Candidate for City Council, Woonsocket, RI, Ricardo Patio District 3City Council Candidate, Cenral Falls, RI, Carlos D. Matos, Legislative Aide Rep. Jose L.Santiago, !6th Essex District, Lawrence, MA.

The forum was based on the following questions: What message we send the youth and how?

Otisha - Afro American constituency in Woonsocket will rally behind a candidate to get themelected, but once elected they are left all by themselves.

Carlos - We need to know the roll that we want youth to play when we ask them to get involvedand allow them to stumble and learn, while mentoring.

Ricardo - Politics is a family affair and children get enthusiastic when given the opportunity toparticipate.

The youth are getting involved, but we need to define the process into which we'll train themwhile involved.

We need to teach the youth at the state House just like Leadership RI does, while seating in theLegislature and show them the civic process right there.

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We need to address the self-steem and lack of cultural pride and accept the fact that we are betterthan what others think we are.

Ricardo - My campaign is not just about me, but about the empowerment of the Latinocommunity in Rhode Island.

Juan - I invite you to obtain the Rhode Island owner's Manual to get all necessary informationabout the politics of the sate,

Plenary Round Table

Sunday October 10, 1999

Participants: Victor F. Capelln, Patricia Martinez, Pablo Rodriguez, MD, Toms Alberto Avila,Jos Francisco Avila, Jos Polanco, MD, Gladys Betancur, Deoshore F. Haig, Luis Astudillo,

Toms Ramirez, Gertrude F, Blakely, Adhi Nagraj, Maria Robitaille, Amarilis Rodriguez, BettyBernal, Yamil Gomez, Cesar D. Alvarez, Jose T. Means,Yubelkis Hernandez, Ricardo Patio,Carlos D. Matos, Gladys L. Cok, Melba Depea, Juan M. Pichardo, Ralph Rodriguez

Recommendations

We need to make sure that we follow up with the conference and further the agenda.

Take a test location such as Central Falls school system an making a difference in changing thesystem to become more diverse and reflective of the community and transfer the lessons learn to

other urban places across the state.

Challenge ordinances that limit our economic advancements and change them through theelection of our own representatives.

Identifying candidates to the legislature and getting them elected.

District 72 in Central Falls which was created for the minority community and is being occupyby a non minority will be available next year and we need to start identifying candidates to viefor such seat.

We need to use perception more effectively, putting a well organized document with theinformation collected at this conference and distributed to all state department heads and thehospital presidents by the conference leaders personally.

Provide transportation for youths at next year's conference.

Consider what everyone of us learned at the conference, and share it with someone else.

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Focus on the youth as an important issue and build coalitions with other ethnic groups whiledeveloping a powerful mechanism to distribute the information through the media.

Take 2 hours to register voters in an individual basis, utilizing the motor voter process.

Increase the community attendance to the City Council meetings and all other political process.Obtain the council's calendar and attend their meetings.

Recommend that everyone reads the book " Why Americans Hate politics", which gives a goodinsight as to the problem with voters apathy.Creating a local minority web site that's going to bring revenue to the state and obtain millions ofvisits in other to cause an effect in government.

What's going to happen after the conference? We need to remain involved, because it has been awake up for me regarding the temporary agencies.

Need to take action after the conference, fighting policy makers at the same level and become theDavid that can beat the Goliath system.

Need to increase youth participation and take their participation into account while opening moreroads for them in our communities.

Strengthen our communities links.

Have youths develop and organize workshops by the youth and for the youth and have a parallelyouth and adult conferences.

Need to deal with youth pregnancy in the school system. While attending Mt. Pleasant HighSchool, the problem was so drastic that we use to call the school Mt. Pregnant.

Need to get the youth from the street involved, and persevere with them, because if we save oneof them it'll be a success.

Politics move the issues and positions that we want to attain, therefore we need to get involved init.

Need to get parents more involved in the school system.

Need to Get Out the Vote in next elections and make a difference. Plan to elect a minority Mayorin Central Falls.

Highly publicize the conference document and remember the intangible benefits that we didn'tknow prior to the conference.

Cultivate the future together, political education and our children are our investment into thefuture.

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Remember if you have 2 Cadillac and a Rolls Royce and you can't drive, you can't getdowntown. But if you have a junk and you can drive you can get downtown on time.

Follow up with my previous statement of expanding Quisqueya In Action youth leadership

program and transfer it to the general community.

Don't ask what your community can do for you, ask what you can do for your community.

Focusing on the youth is very important and we need to keep mentoring them and registeringthem to vote.

Form coalitions with Ocean State Action and other organizations to politically empower ourcommunities.

Commit on a quarterly basis to follow up with the conference report, and coordinate follow up

meetings.

Inform the people in the Latino community once and for all to end separatism of our communityand the ongoing power struggles.

We can't continue playing the demographics gages apply by the powers to be.

1999 Latinos in the New Millenium

Conference Program

Friday October 8, 1999

2:00pm - 7:00pm Arrival/RegistrationMarriott Hotel, Providence

5:30pm - 7:30pm Welcome ReceptionRISD Museum 224 Benefit St.

Saturday October 9, 1999

8:00am - 9:00am Registration

Marriott Hotel, Providence

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9:00am - 10:15am Breakfast/General SessionCensus 2000: Grassroots Community Involvement Makes a WorldOf Difference Makes a World of Difference

Melvin Delgado, PhD

10:15am - 10:30am Break

Exhibits Display

10:30am - 12:15pm Workshops

2. Census 2000 -Defiance Room

Moderator: Marta Martinez

Chair, Governors Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs

Panelists

Virginia Gmez

Girl Scouts of RI Angelo Falcn

Executive DirectorInstitute of Puerto Rican Policy/Puerto Rican Legal Defense & Education Fund Rev. Michael Devine

Jos Aleman

Vice Principal, Central High School Councilman Luis AponteProvidence City Council, Ward 10 Delia Smidt

U.S. Bureau of the Census

3. Latinos Health Reprisal Room

Moderator: Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, MD

Womens Care

Panelist

Dr. Jos Polanco, MDRhode Island Hospital Cristiana De Los Santos, RN

Women & Infant Family Van Rodolfo Medina, MS

Latino Health Institute, Boston Luisa Murillo

Ocean Sate Action

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4. Immigration Reform Britania Room

Moderator: Olga Noguera Department of Human Services

Panelists

Juan Garcia

RI Immigrant Coalition Bruno Sukys

International Institute of RI Norelys Consuegra

U.S. Senator Jack Reeds Office Mark, Esq.

Diocese of Providence

1. Latino Youth Leadership Republic Room Jessica Gonzalez

Progreso Latino Rita Rodriguez

Moses Brown School

12:15pm - 12:30pm Break

12:30pm - 2:15pm Lunch/General Session Grand Ballroom

Developing Political Empowerment Among Latinos

Keynote Speaker Angelo Falcn, Executive DirectorInstitute of Puerto Rican Policy/Puerto Rican Legal Defense & EducationFund

2:30pm - 4:00pm Workshops

A. Economic Development Reprisal Room

Moderator: Francisco Cruz The Providence Plan

Panelists

Veroushka VenturaSouthside/Broad Street Alina Ocasio

Baruch College Jaime Aguayo

Small Business Administration

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B. The Temping of Latinos Britania Room

Moderator: Carolina Bernal

United Workers UnionPanelists

Mario Bueno

United Worker Committee Obdulio Yepes

Central 2000

C. Education Empowerment-Defiance Room

Moderator: Ralph Rodriguez

Toms Ramirez

Providence Public School Yamil Gomez

Moses Brown Romina Carillo Carol Guzman

D. Black & Brown Relationship Roundtable Discussion

Republic Room

Moderator: Larry Turner

Panelists

Victor Capelln

Executive Director, Center for Hispanic Policy & Advocacy (CHisPA) Senator Charles Walton

RI State Senate Rep. Anastasia Williams

State of RI House of Representatives, District 9 Councilman Luis Aponte

Providence City Council, Ward 10 Marta Martinez

Chair, Governors Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs Rosemary Santos

Executive Director, Black & Brown Fund Cliff Monteiro

Executive Director, RI NAACP Dr. Pablo Rodriguez

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President, RI Latino Political Action Committee Joseph E. Newsome

Executive Director, South Providence Development Corporation

7:00pm 11:00pm Latino Unity Festival @ WaterFire

Working with Barnaby Evans, CHisPA has programmed folkloricperformances at WaterFire. Artists will represent most of the nineteenSouth and Central American, as well as Caribbean Spanish-speakingcountries. Admission Free

Sponsored by NORDSTROM, The Providence Journal & RICouncil of The Arts

Sunday, October 10th, 1999

8:30am - 9:30am BreakfastPromoting Youth and Latino Politicians for the next Millennium

9:30am - 12:00pm Wrap Up Plenary Recommendations Resolutions

1:00pm - 2:00pm Brunch/Committee Meeting - Adjournment/Departure

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Hispanic conference opens dialogue about race

To get anywhere, Hispanics and African-Americans need to work together, says Dr. PabloRodriguez, of the Rhode Island Political Action Committee.

By TATIANA PINA

Journal Staff Writer

10.10.99 00:10:13

PROVIDENCE -- When Victor Capellan, a Hispanic, ran unsuccessfully against Joe Almeida, ofCape Verdean descent, for the 20th District seat, a rivalry began that pitted Hispanics againstAfrican-Americans, older politicians against the new and up-and-coming.

During a roundtable on relationships between Latino and African-Americans at the ``Latinos inthe New Millennium'' conference held at the Marriott Inn, Capellan put the developing politicallyrivalry between African-Americans and Latinos on the table for discussion.

``Politically we had some successes as in the case of Luis Aponte [elected to the Providence CityCouncil] and some problems, as in my case. This can't be the last time an African-American runsagainst a Latino so this needs to be talked about. It is very visible that power is at stake.''

The panel discussion titled ``Black and Brown Relationships'' brought together a long list ofdistinguised leaders from the African-American and Latino communities to discuss their

thoughts about their relationships and what they have to do together in the future to gaineconomic power. The room was packed with several dozen listeners and the roundtable wentover its scheduled time, prompting one women to say race should be talked about more often.

The conference, which coincided with the celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, was held todiscuss issues Latinos face in the next century and to develop skills, leadership and networkingthat will help the community address those issues. The event was organized by the Center forHispanic Policy and Advocacy, Progreso Latino, the Governor's Advisory Commission onHispanic Affairs, and Quisqueya in Accion.

The panel began with talk of its successes, such as when both groups joined forces to get better

health services. The discussion was led by Larry Turner, a specialist in the community relationsservice office of the U.S. Department of Justice.

For Cliff Monteiro, of the NAACP, infighting during the elections between supporters ofopposite groups was not as important as helping the large numbers of Hispanic and African-American men who end up in prison.

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City Councilman Luis Aponte said that one of the biggest threats to both groups is the proposeddownsizing of the legislature. ``That will hurt urban areas, especially Providence,'' he said.

State Sen. Charles Walton, who aided Joe Almeida in his campaign, along with Luis Aponte,

asked Capellan whether there had been any disparaging remarks during the campaign. Capellananswered that both camps took the highroad but that there were other groups that talked aboutthe rivalry between the races and the press capitalized on it. Capellan said that most peoplesitting on the panel were people he had looked up to as a youngster. Unfortunately, he said thosepeople -- he was talking mainly about the politicians on the panel -- had not been as helpful as hehad hoped.

He said he didn't want his work as the head of the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy andhis associations with Hispanic groups to mark him as being anti-African-American or pro Latino.`Ì have tried to get into many places but was not allowed,'' Capellan said. Hispanic organizations``have just been the vehicle for me.''

Joseph E. Newsome, executive director of South Providence Development Corporation, ran off alist of statistics that told of how low on the economic ladder Hispanics and African-Americansare. `Òur distinction and our rallying point is that we are getting screwed over economically,'' hesaid. Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, president of the Rhode Island Political Action Committee, said unlessthe groups join forces they won't get anywhere.

`Àll people have their prejudices, their feelings of superiority and inferiority. Those things comeback to haunt us and bite us . . . . If we don't learn to work with each other, we are not going toaccomplish anything.''

The panelists left with the promise to renew monthly lunches where organizations that representdifferent racial and ethnic groups get together to talk about different issues.

Copyright 1999 The Providence Journal CompanyProduced by www.projo.com

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Negros e hispanos discutieron sobre sus relaciones

Por TATIANA PINAReportera del Journal

Pagina Latina10.14.99

PROVIDENCE - Cuando Victor Capellan disput, sin exito, una eleccin para diputado por elDistrito 20, contra Joe Almeida, una persona de origen de Cabo Verde, empez una rivalidadentre ros hispanos y los negros.

Durante una discusin sobre las relaciones entre los hispanos y los negros, durante la conferenciahamada Los latinos en el nuevo milenjo, ilevada a cabo en el Hotel Marriot, Capeilan puso en lamesa la rivalidad que se esta' desarrollando entre los dos grupos.

"Polfticainente hemos logrado un exito como en el caso del concejal munlcipal, Luis Aponte, yhemos tenido algunos problemas tal como en mi caso. Esta no puede ser la ultima vez que unapersona negra competira con un latino para un puesto, luego necesitamos hablar de esto. Esmuy ovio que lo que hay en juego es poder."

El panel de discusin titulado "Black and Brown Relationships" reuni a una cantidad de lideresde la comunidad negras y de la hispana. Los panelistas discutieron lo que sobre sus relaciones ylo que tenian que hacer para adquirir poder politico y economico.

La sala en donde tuvieron la dis- ausin se Hen y los panelistas es tuvieron tan intensos con sucharla que se pasaron del tiempo, lo que movi a una mujer a decir que se de biera hablar ma's de

las relaciones raciales.

La conferencia, que coincidio con;s el mes de la herenda hispanpa tuvo como meta la de proveeruna disscusin y un plan de accin sobre los asuntos que que enfrentaran los hispanos en elnuevo milenio, como ser el tema de la salud, la educacin, el desarollo economico y el politico.

La actividad fue organizada por por CHisPA, Progreso Latino, la comision del governador sobrelos asuntos hispanos y por Quisqueya En Accin.

El panel empez con una discusin de sus exitos tal como cuando trabajaron juntos para

conseguir mejores servicios de salud para la comunidad.

Pam Cliff Monteiro, del NAACP de Rhode Island, la rivalidad entre los negros ylos hispanosdurante las elecciones no eran tan importante como la necesidad de ayudar en la desproporcinde hombres hispanos y de negros que se ericuentran encarcelados.

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Aponte dijo que ninguno de los dos grupos ayudaban a sus jvenes a desarrollarse en la politica.Una de las mas grandes amenazas que enfrentaran los dos grupos ser la propuesta reduccin dela legislatura.

"Esto lesionani los lugares urbanos especialmente en Providence," dijo Aponte.

El senador Charles Walton, quien con Aponte ayud a Joe Almeida en su campaa, le pregunt aCapellan si habia hablado mal de su campaa. Capelln dijoo que cada campaa habia tomado elcamin dificil pero que otros habian discutido la rivalidad racial y que la prensa se habia fijadoen esto.

Dijo que no queria que su puesto como director de CHisPA y su trabaj con las organizacioneslo marcara como anti negro o pro hispano "Yo trat de entrar a muchos lugares pero no pude(Las organizaciones hispanas) han sido el vehiculo para mi."

Joseph E. Newsome, el director ejecutivo del South Providence Development Corporation, dijo

que el verdadero problema de los dos grupos es uno econmico. ley cifras estadisticas quemostraban la gran diferencia entre los ingresos de los negros e hispanos y el ingreso de losblancos.

El Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, presidente del Rhode Island Political Action Connnittee concluydjciedo que si los dos lados no se unian no llegarian a nada. "Toda la gente tiene su prejuicios,sus sentimientos de superioridad e inferioridad. Esas cosas regresan a nosotros y nos muerden enel trasero. Si no aprendemos atrabajar juntos no logramos nada."

Los panelitas y miembros de organizaciones quedaron en reunirse cada mes para seguir hablandode los asuntos de cada uno.

A Hispanic conference, "Latinos in the New Millennium, " held last weekend at the Marriott, inProvidence, opens dialogue about race. To get anywhere, Hispanics and African-Americansneed to work together, panelists said.

Copyright 1999 The Providence Journal Company

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Board votes to expand bilingual services

The School Board resolution says it intends to expand programs for children with limited Englishability and special education needs within the next 45 days, as required by federal law.

By RICHARD C. DUJARDIN

and GINA MACRIS

Journal Staff Writers

10.13.99 07:23:51

PROVIDENCE -- Over the objections of a member who said the School Department has yet toshow any evidence that it will comply with the law, the School Board approved a resolution last

night that it intends to expand services to bilingual children with special education needs withinthe next 45 days.

The issue of bilingual special education has been a touchy one in the School Department forsome time.

Critics, including School Board member Juan Lopez, have charged that the department has beenwoefully deficient in looking after the needs of youngsters of limited language ability who alsoappear to be in need of special education.

Lopez told fellow members at a meeting at the city's new elementary school on Springfield Street

that between 70 and 80 such youngsters have yet to receive an evaluation from a SchoolDepartment team, even though they have been waiting since May or June.

In fact, he said, the department's failure to hire a second evaluation team has led to a situationwhere many children are languishing in classroom settings not suited to their needs or are notgoing to school at all.

At last night's School Board session, members were asked to vote on a resolution that wouldassure the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights that the School Department willhave a program in place no later than next month to see that children who speak languages otherthan English are accorded equal access to public education services, as required by federal law.

Among the key elements are the hiring of a supervisor or administrator for bilingual specialeducation and the establishment of a second bilingual evaluation team.

The pledge of compliance supposedly would also commit the city to recruit, hire and supportmore bilingual English as a Second Language professionals; to hire, if demand warrants, a teamto evaluate the special education needs of Spanish-speaking preschool children; to explore thetraining of bilingual speech and language therapy assistants; and to hire and train a permanent

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cadre of professional interpreters for assessments.

In presentations last night, former acting School Supt. Robert A. DeRobbio and Robert Lynch,acting special education director, told board members that by approval of the resolution theywere going to speed the process along. `Às soon as you pass this,'' DeRobbio said, ``the job

postings will go out.''

But Lopez saw it differently. He said the School Department has yet to allocate any funds for thenew interpreters, new team and new supervisor that supposedly would be hired, and he's not atall sure that the department really intends to follow through.

`Ì'd like us put our money where our mouth is,'' Lopez said. `Ìf the funds are there, as Mr.DeRobbio has stated, why haven't we already filled these positions? I haven't seen one piece ofevidence that we have moved to create these bilingual teams.''

He said he'd be more willing to sign the compliance resolution once the promises were

implemented, rather than the other way around.

In defending the School Department's performance, Lynch and DeRobbio insisted that membersof the staff had been working throughout the summer to try to complete all the studentevaluations, but had been hampered -- in 10 cases by parents' failure to sign the necessary forms.

In many other instances, they said, the department still has another few weeks, under existingfederal regulations, to complete the evaluations so that technically, it is not being ``non-compliant.''

In fact, there are probably only 13 or 14 cases where the actual deadline for making evaluationshas passed, the administrators said.

Voting to approve the resolution were School Board chair Gertrude Blakely, Roosevelt Benton,Eugene Burns, Susan DeRita and Simon Kue. Lopez voted against it, and Olga Noguera, whohas been critical of the department's record on the issue in the past, abstained.

This latest episode involving bilingual education marks the third time in less than five years thatthe Education Department's Office of Civil Rights has involved itself in oversight of the city'sprograms for special education students.

This latest intervention, which had not been disclosed by school officials until recently, actuallybegan in 1997, when Spanish-speaking parents complained that their children had to wait monthsfor special education evaluations and services.

Some of the services, primarily speech and language therapy in Spanish, were not provided asrequired in children's individual education plans, some parents told The Providence Journal inMarch 1997.

Meetings between parents and officials from the Office of Civil Rights, as well as discussions

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with the School Department, led to a proposal for a formal agreement that would allow thefederal government to monitor bilingual special education in Providence through the year 2002.

The board tabled a motion to approve the resolution of agreement two weeks ago, after somemembers raised numerous questions.

For example, Olga Noguera said her understanding was that by the time the district signed theresolution agreement with the Office of Civil Rights, it would already have hired a second, full-time Spanish-speaking team of specialists to evaluate children referred for special education.

Such a team is now in place only on a part-time basis.

``How many years have we been trying to get the second re-evaluation team?'' Noguera askedrhetorically.

Directing her remarks at Lynch, she said: ``You have been talking about this for many, many

months.'' And in a reference to the Bridge School, the short-term program for youngsters whohave been excluded from regular classes because of aggressive or assaultive behavior, she said,``There are some kids being referred to the Bridge School who are special ed, and we don't knowwhy.''

In addition, Noguera said, ``parents are waiting for students to be assessed, and they are notbeing assessed.''

Many of the school district's own recommendations regarding bilingual special education havebeen incorporated into the proposed resolution agreement approved last night.

But Lopez says that as of now, the School Department has yet to carry though on its ownrecommendations, with the second full-time multi-disciplinary evaluation team being the mostpressing.

Besides the second evaluation team, and a supervisor for bilingual special education, theproposed agreement calls for major initiatives to recruit, hire and train more teachers in bilingualeducation, bilingual special education and English as a Second Language.

The district would also agree to explore approaches to recruiting and training assistants for bilingual speech and language therapy and professional interpreters for special educationevaluations.It would provide comprehensive professional development for English as a Second Language,special education and bilingual education teachers. Regular education teachers would also gettraining regarding referrals to special education and ways to help students in an effort to avoidsuch referrals.

Programs in bilingual education and English as a Second Language would expand to provideeffective services to all limited-English children with disabilities, according to the agreement.

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Under the compliance agreement approved last night, the OCR will monitor the district'simplementation of the requirements until December 2002, or until it appears that the district has``institutionalized'' the changes.

Produced by www.projo.com

A baseline on the state's care, conditions

By Michael PareManaging Editor

PBN

Rhode Island taxpayers currently spend over $1 billion on health care and related servicesprovided directly by the state, and consumers, another $4 - $5 billion on services in the medicalmarketplace. Before we commit to dramatic interventions, the state must enhance itsunderstanding of how market pressures are affecting the health care industry, how the industryis responding, and which strategies are likely to meet with success while contributing positivelyto the state's economy as a whole.

- Governor's Advisory Council on Health 1998 - 1999

When Gov. Lincoln Almond created by executive order in 1997, an Advisory Council on Health,he was looking for facts and figures. The governor was looking for input from the private sector

and academic community to help make some sense of the rapidly changing health care industry.

Those facts and figures - ranging from hospital occupancy rates to infant mortality rates to thenumber of Medicaid patients of dentists to the number of Rhode Islanders diagnosed with AIDS- have been compiled and are all part of a nearly 400-page report that will be updated annually.

The report is long - and informative. It deals with the complexities of hospital economics andhealth insurance. But it also provides simple, but critical insight.

For example, Rhode Islanders need to eat more fruit. According to findings in the report, "the proportion of adults who consume the recommended five per day servings of fruits and

vegetables is low, less than 1 in 4, both in Rhode Island and nationally."

Lisa Pelosi, the governor's director of communications, said the governor was pleased with thebreadth of the report.

"We really needed a comprehensive data collection on the health care industry in the state,"Pelosi said. "The governor is very pleased to have this report that he, members of the General

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Assembly, and others can turn to for information. It is a baseline to tell us where we are rightnow. We needed that."

Elizabeth Burke Bryant, executive director of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT and a member of thecouncil, agrees.

"You can't develop a blueprint without knowing where you are," she said.The comprehensive report offers a detailed rundown of health insurance plans that serve RhodeIsland: Including Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Coordinated Health Partners,Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, United Health Care of New England, and Blue Cross/Blue Shieldof Rhode Island.

According to the report, as of the end of 1997, those five plans (including Pilgrim Health Care)collectively covered 863,344 Rhode Island members.

But as the study points out, it is difficult to gauge exact numbers when dealing with health plans,

particularly when some members join a plan through work, but do not live in Rhode Island."Even when the residency issues are sorted out, assessment of the total number of individualscovered by these plans is less than straightforward. First, health plan enrollment filings are'point-in-time' and do not capture the movement of individuals in and out of different plans overthe course of a reporting period. Second, there exists a substantial but diminishing occurrence ofdouble coverage in the population across various product and product lines, which the industryestimates to account for between 3 percent and 8 percent of plan enrollment."

Such factors, concludes the report, at least partially explain the crux of an ongoing "health plandebate."

The report also offers a glimpse of the health consciousness of Rhode Islanders. And on thatparticular front, the news is not all good.

For example, motor vehicle crashes continue to be one of the leading causes of injury and deathin Rhode Island and the United States, claiming the lives of about 46,000 Americans each year.

Deaths and serious disabilities caused by motor vehicle crashes could be reduced byapproximately 50 percent if passengers and drivers regularly used safety belts. Between 1990and 1995, according to the report, more passengers in Rhode Island and throughout the countrywere wearing seat belts, but Rhode Island's rate of non-use remains almost double the U.S.median. In Rhode Island in 1995, 33.6 percent of vehicle passengers were not wearing a seatbelt, compared to a U.S. median of 17.8 percent.

Other findings of the report include;

In the aggregate, Rhode Island health plans derive more than three-quarters of their revenue (76percent) from the employer-based health insurance market. A small (14 percent) but growingshare of total revenue flows from Medicare risk business. Medicaid accounts for just 7 percent ofhealth plan revenue, and premiums from individual sales total 2 percent.

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According to statistics provided by the state Department of Business Regulation, it is clear thatthe health plans, in total, are experiencing a rapid and accelerating decline in financialperformance. A swing of nearly $53 million in net profitability occurred between 1995 and 1996.The level of losses experienced in 1996 was approximately equaled in 1997 and has been

exceeded by 75 percent in the first nine months of 1998.

Historically, the health plans in Rhode Island have been a significant source of employment.Some of them have supported New England regional service delivery out of their Rhode Islandfacilities. While employment data is not available from the regulatory filings, there areindications that in-state employment among the health plans is decreasing and could furtherdecline. As both national and regional consolidation among managed-care companies hasoccurred, certain functions within many of the plans are being moved to out-of-state facilities.Only two of the health plans competing in Rhode Island are likely to support their future growthin membership with predominately in-state employment.

Rhode Island's infant mortality rate has improved over the past decade, from 8.6 infant deathsper 1,000 births to 7.0, and is among the lowest in the nation. Over the last ten years, infantmortality rates for all racial groups in Rhode Island have declined, according to the report.

It is estimated that 9,000 adults in Rhode Island have a serious and persistent mental illness(SPMI) that significantly impairs their functioning, particularly with respect to carrying on theactivities of daily life. Approximately 5,500 of these individuals receive services through thepublic mental health system. Of this group, 65 percent ( 3,400) are served by the Rhode IslandMedicaid program, comprising 2.6 percent of the Medicaid population and 5.5 percent ofMedicaid expenditures. Thirty-five percent of the SPMI population seeking services through thepublic mental health system is not currently Medicaid eligible.

Rhode Island's suicide rate is lower than the national rate.

Lead poisoning is a major health problem for Rhode Island's youngest, those ages one throughfive. The proportion of Rhode Island children in that age bracket with elevated blood lead levelsis almost five times national figure.

The prevalence of both binge and chronic drinking in Rhode Island are consistently higher thanthe U.S. medians. While the prevalence of binge drinking has declined nationally, it hasincreased in Rhode Island from 1990 to 1995.

The financial impact of Rhode Island's hospitals is also detailed in the report. Among thefindings:

The direct expenditures of Rhode Island hospitals accounted for over 6 percent of Gross StateProduct in 1995, a 35 percent increase from the 4.5 percent share in 1985.

Rhode Island hospitals spend about $1.4 billion annually in the local economy.

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Mas que nada la importancia de esta conferencia fue la participacin masiva de los presentesdestacandose una gran participacion de jovenes y de mujeres latinos que buscan crear un foropro-activo centralizado en temas que afectan las vidas de los latinos que residen en el estado deRhode Island y estuvo complacida por el trabajo realizado por la organizacine afitrionas.

La importancia de esta conferencia es que los Latinos se estan organizando a nivel estattal parapoder junto tener una presencia en el debate estatal y nacional e influir sobre el futuro del puebloLatino en los estado de Rhode Island. Esta inquietud nace de la necesidad de que en la unionesta la fuerza y para el pueblo Latino unirse al Concilio Nacional de La Raza, al National PuertoRican Forum o cualquier otro movimiento Nacional, primero tenemos que estar organizados ybien representados para poder participar como iguales y poder aportar nuestra parte tambin aesos esfuezos. La conferencia pudo proveer el foro necesario para organizar un movimientoestatal y nacional.

Durante la conferencia se llegaron acuerdos de algunas resoluciones adoptadas para darlesegimiento durante el transcurso de los proximos meses por las differentes organizaciones

Latinas del estado de Rhode Island. La conferencia cocluyo el dia domongo con una mesaredonda en la cual participaron muchos de los asistentes a la conferencia.

About CHisPA

The Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy (CHisPA), formerly Hispanic Social ServicesAssociation has had fifteen years of experience serving and advocating for the Rhode IslandLatino community. CHisPA is a 501(c) 3, tax-exempt, non-profit organization. The mission ofCHisPA is to lead and influence change to improve the quality of life for Latinos in RhodeIsland. Five years ago, the organization redirected its mission in order to address the need for

capacity-building programs for Hispanic individuals and CBO's, as well as the need for moreeffective representation of Latinos on decision-making bodies and in planning capacities.Currently, CHisPA provides advocacy for, and empowerment of, the Latino community in issuesranging from education and health to environmental justice to domestic violence. We haveestablished networks with dozens of local, regional, and national organizations to share resourcesand improve our programs.

Our primary constituencies include the immigrant and refugee communities in Rhode Island, aswell as the institutions that serve them on all levels. Rhode Island had the highest growth rate ofLatinos in the entire country during the 1980s; at 146% the Latino population increased by morethan three times the national average! Statistical trends indicate that during the 1 990s we have

continued this growth. We are anxiously awaiting the 2000 Census, which we believe willindicate onc

Documents

Latinos in the New Milennium Report