By Rina N. Risper
The New Citizens Press
LANSING, MI — Even though the people that are featured in this article aren’t in the exhibit at the Michigan State University Museum, they’re impacting the lives of those they touch. The Smithsonian and Michigan State University collaboration will also be presenting education and community programs for the duration of the time that the exhibit is at the museum. The exhibition explores the diverse Latino experience in the United States.
Our Journeys/Our Stories: Portraits of Latino Achievement showcases stories of men and women who have led outstanding and interesting lives. The exhibits also puts their experiences into context by “dichos” or traditional sayings (which are above the names of the individuals featured in this article in English and in Spanish). The sayings are used by generations to pass along knowledge, experience and values in the Latino community.
The men and women who were chosen to be a part of the exhibit were chosen by a 7 member advisory board of historians, curators and leaders in the U.S. Latino community. Their words and their faces are captured to provide ann inspirational look at Latino accomplishments.
The purpose is to engage in conversation and encourage cross-cultural ad intercultural exchange of information.
“How beautiful it is to live to love; how great it is to have to give”
Que lindo es vivir para amar; que grande estener para dar
Everyone needs a “Buddy”
Armando Rositas
Every time Armando Rositas hears about someone drowning or being thrown from a boat it takes him back to a tragic day while boating on a local lake.
Witnessing the collision of two jet-ski’s is an unbelievable memory for Rositas, the accident left a young high schooler permanently dismembered. What stayed in Rosita’s conscious was the frenzied pace that the other boaters were in to get to the injured.
Rositas lamented, “In the hurry that we were in to help, we easily could have ran over the six or seven year old boy who was thrown into the water at impact. As we arrived we couldn’t see him in the water. As I sat in my boat, I could not get this thought out of my head. That was when the "Swimming Buddy" was born.”
Rositas doesn’t think there are enough water safety products on the market today. He said the"Swimming Buddy" is unique, affordable, easy and efficient and gives you the visibility you need while in the water.
Rositas has come a long way from fighting in the streets of St. Johns, MI. He fought to protect his family name and his siblings. He said that his days on the streets were premature training for his boxing career. He is 4 time District Boxing Champion and a 1 time State Runner-up and a 1 time State Champion in Michigan.
His parents were migrant workers from Texas. His father was also combat engineer in WWII, his mother a stay home mother. His great grandmother had her property taken away by the dictator in Mexico. Rositas said that he’s grateful and proud to be an American. The opportunity to become an inventor and to be successful is at everyone’s finger tips. Currently, he’s employed as a Housing Specialist at St. Vincent Catholic Charities and used to work at the same place as an Employment Specialist .
The "Swimming Buddy" clips onto the back of a life jacket and bobs up behind the swimmer like a mini tower. The idea is to keep swimmers more visible to other boaters in the water. It could also prove helpful if someone who doesn’t swim experiences trouble in the water and cannot be located. It can also help if someone goes overboard.
Rositas said, “When I hear about tragic drowning accidents where victims can’t be seen, I only see the "Swimming Buddy" being more important to the water world. I’m not going to save everyone’s life, but I will save someone."
For more information log on to
www.swimming-buddy.com.
“What is not found in books, life will teach you.”
Lo que en los libros no esta´, la vide te lo enseñara´.
Run, Girl, Run
Rosa Clemente
Rosa Clemente is the on the first all-women-of-color Presidential ticket in United States history. She has been chosen as Green Party Presidential nominee and former Congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney’s running mate.
Clemente is a Puerto Rican community organizer, journalist and Hip-Hop activist. Born and raised in the South Bronx, she is a graduate of the University of Albany and Cornell University. A much sought after commentator, political activist, community organize and independent reporter, Rosa has been delivering workshops, presentations and commentary for over ten years.
Rapper, author and producer Chuck D says "When you need a dynamic, stylish women to get your campaign going or to get your organization excited about activism, Rosa is the person you are looking for, she speaks from the heart with truth, fire and passion. She is one of this generations’ most important political voices and community organizers."
Clemente’s academic work has been dedicated to researching national liberation struggles inside the United States, with a specific focus on the Young Lords Party and the Black Liberation Army. While a student at SUNY Albany, she was President of the Albany State University Black Alliance (ASUBA) and Director of Multicultural Affairs for the Student Association. At Cornell she was a founding member of La Voz Boriken, a social/political organization dedicated to supporting Puerto Rican political prisoners and the independence of Puerto Rico.
Clemente has been the subject of articles in the Village Voice, The New York Times, Urban Latino and The Source magazines. She has appeared on CNN, C-Span, Democracy Now and Street Soldiers. In 2001, she was a youth representative at the United Nations World Conference against Xenophobia, Racism and Related Intolerance in South Africa and in 2002 was named by Red Eye Magazine as one of the top 50 Hip Hop Activists to look out for.
In 1995, she developed Know Thy Self Productions, a full service speakers bureau, production company and media consulting service. Seeing a need for young people of color to be heard and taken seriously she began presenting workshops and lectures at colleges, universities, high schools, and prisons. In the past ten years she has presented at over 200 colleges, conferences and community centers on topics such as; African-American and Latino/a Intercultural Relations; Hip-Hop Activism; The History of the Young Lords Party; and Women, Feminism and Hip Hop. KTSP now includes an expanded college speakers bureau which has produced three major Hip Hop activism tours, "Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win" with M1 of dead prez and Fred Hampton Jr.; "The ACLU College Freedom Tour" with dead prez, DJ Kuttin Kandi, Mystic and comedian Dave Chapelle; and the "Speak Truth to Power" Tour a collaborative tour of award winning youth activists.
In 2003, Clemente helped formed and coordinate the first ever National Hip Hop Political Convention that drew over 3000 activists who came together to create and implement a national political agenda for the Hip-Hop generation. 10 days after Hurricane Katrina ravaged parts of the south, Rosa traveled to the areas as an independent journalist and her on the ground reports were reported on independent radio stations all over the world, including Air America, NPR, Pacifica Radio and Democracy Now.
Clemente has recently been named as the Executive Director of the Hip Hop Caucus. In 2008 she will join other Hip Hop activists and community organizers on the 2008 Rap Sessions tour, www.rapsessions.org and has recently created the Latina Women’s Political Network.
“No pain, no gain”
El que algo quiere, algo le cuesta
An apple a day
Luis Gonzalez
Luis Gonzalez achieved a dream. He worked hard to become a doctor. Growing up in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico with its diverse population and its distinct Latin culture, he knew from a very early age that he wanted to help people with their health concerns. He’s now Dr. Luis Gonzalez and serving families in the Ingham County Area.
Dr. Luis Gonzalez received his Bachelor of Science degree, Magna Cum Laude from the University of Puerto Rico in 1978. He received his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. Dr. Gonzalez completed his postgraduate training at the University District Hospital Ob/Gyn.
Dr. Gonzalez has worked for the Public Health Service in Florida, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Blue Care Network in Lansing.
He is currently employed by Sparrow Health System in Midwest Ob/Gyn and serves as a Clinical Professor at MSU in the Department of Ob/Gyn.
Dr. Gonzalez is a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a member of the American Medical Association, Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons, the Ingham County Medical Society and the American Autism Society.
He has received various honors including, Academic Faculty Award – St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, and the Outstanding Voluntary Academic Faculty Award in 1999 and 2004 from the MSU College of Human Medicine.
Dr. Gonzalez has a variety of interests and community involvements that include traveling, gardening, distance swimming, singing and public speaking.
