Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges!

Ever since the cinema world’s favorite Mexican stereotype (played by Alfonso Bedoya in the 1948 Bogart classic movie, The Treasure of Sierra Madre) made that line famous other movies (such as the 1974 movie, Blazing Saddles) and books have repeatedly immortalized it as one of America’s most famous film quotes. It also has symbolized the division between our two cultures that only heightens misunderstanding and results in another one of our popular clichés: the Mexican standoff.

Perhaps, on a much larger scale, we are experiencing a Mexican standoff as a country that is trying to fix its immigration system. On one side, we have about 11 million Hispanics who, by their undocumented presence in the U.S., have clearly proven to us that they “don’t need no stinking papers”—while, on the other side, we have scores of politicians getting ready to “throw the baby out with the bath water” as they continuously favor “legislation against legalization.”  

To the other forty million of us Latinos and Hispanics living here with documentation in living pursuit of the American dream, we see both sides of this issue, and for the sake of both sides, we pray that America wakes up to the great American dream that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke of fifty years ago, when he said:

“I have a dream…It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’ ”

Ben Ruiz

Vice-Chair, Diversity Co., American Advertising Federation of Louisville

Co-Founder of The Magnificent 7, Metro Mayor’s Office for Globalization

Co-Founder of GLI’s Hispanic Latino Business Council

Co-Founder of La Camara @ Wesley House

Advisory Council Member, U of L’s Latin American Latino Studies

Advisory Council Member, Hispanic Latino Coalition of Louisville

Board Member, Adelante Hispanic Achievers

Media Co. Chair, Simmons College of Kentucky

Concern for our Latino youth and their lack of education

Yesterday I attended a meeting of several community leaders who are part of our local effort here in Louisville to help our Latino youth find ways to plan for going to college and getting a degree. This was not our first meeting. We have been meeting about this important initiative for several years now. 

Data about how Latinos are not as prepared for college as the general population was presented. Data was also presented about how almost twice as many Latinos will drop out of college in their first year when compared to the general population.

Everyone in this meeting expressed genuine concern.

Nothing was said about the many hurdles that Latinos face such as the fact that most Latinos who live at a poverty level do not have the privileges of aspiring to higher education because their culture emphasizes survival above enlightenment.

Perhaps this is difficult for the average American to understand. Just imagine if you were raised in Mexico before coming to the United States where you were used to getting up at 4:00 a.m. in the morning just so you would be the first in your family of four kids to get to use the one towel you shared with your family while it was still dry.

And, you would also find the good pieces of cardboard that you would slip into your shoes to cover the holes worn in them—taking out the worn, torn remnants of the day before. 

Imagine living together in a one room house constructed of adobe where the only space clear of spiders and their webs was in the middle of the shower’s water spray. 

I grew up in that house that my family of four shared with our aunt’s own family of four where we all slept on fold-out cots without blankets. It’s where I learned the meaning of sharing because we all recognized the lucky days when we could look forward to a diet of beans, tortillas and kool-aid. This was because we knew the burning hunger pains of days when we had no diet at all.

All of these experiences shaped me. I never judged my father for leaving us alone to fend for ourselves in Mexico. I was just super appreciative of when he would finally come back to us and especially when he brought us to the United States.

He was a linotype operator—he had a trade and, for the most part, he supported us during the times he was with us. He didn’t go to college. He didn’t expect us to go to college. We would be following in his footsteps if we could learn a trade like he did.

We moved around a lot as we found ourselves living in various parts of the southwest. I thought I lived a normal existence as a Mexican American living in America. I never knew what it was like to participate in sports like normal kids. I never played Little League baseball, football or any other sport when I was a kid. We learned to live in housing projects. We never had any kind of insurance. No health and no life.
Just survival.

Cinco de Mayo and the Mexican American War

Being from Mexico myself, I am very proud of my roots. My favorite memory of Mexico City is when I visited the memorial statue in Chapultepec Park of “Los Niños Héroes.” In English, the "Boy Heroes" or "Heroic Cadets" were six teenage military cadets who died defending Mexico at Mexico City"s Chapultepec Castle (then serving as the Mexican army"s military academy) from invading U.S. forces which included the U.S. Marines in the 13 September 1847 Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War. One of the cadets, Juan Escutia, wrapped himself in the Mexican flag before jumping to his death.

The Mexican-American War of 1846-1848 was disastrous for Mexico, as it was forced to sign away nearly half of its national territory, including California, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and parts of several other current US states. 

Fourteen years after the Mexican-American War, many Americans chose to fight along the side of their Mexican neighbors in the Battle of Puebla, Mexico against the French Army. Today, all over the United States in most of our major cities, this historic event is why Americans celebrate the Mexican Holiday of May the 5th—”Cinco de Mayo.”

Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican Holiday celebrating the Battle of Puebla, which took place on May 5, 1862. The French army was much larger (7 times larger in numbers than the Mexicans), better trained and equipped than the Mexicans struggling to defend the road to Mexico City. It rolled through Mexico until it reached Puebla, where the Mexicans along with some brave American volunteers made a valiant stand, and, against all logic, won a huge victory—this is what is celebrated every year in both Mexico and the U.S. to this day. This also had an impact here in the States because this stopped the French’s supply of weapons to the Confederate Army during the Civil War going on at the time. 

I have a strong belief that I can be just as proud of my Mexican heritage as I am of being an American citizen. I am very proud to say that I married into a Marine Corps family because all three of my wife’s older brothers served in the U.S. Marine Corps. I was a Marine myself and feel privileged and honored to be part of this elite brotherhood of men and women whose motto, “Semper Fi” epitomizes much more meaning than the words imply because our faithfulness extends not only to the country we serve but to each other as well.

Having said that I also want to explain to my Marine family why I chose to never wear the Marines’ formal “dress blues” uniform when I was on active duty. You see, the dress blues uniforms have a red stripe running along both sides of the outside part of the pant legs—symbolizing the Battle of Chapultepec during the Mexican-American War.

We are getting ready to celebrate the Cinco de Mayo here during the Kentucky Derby for the first time in history on Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 4th Street Live. This will be a huge day for the city of Louisville being that this will be the first event of its kind in the state of Kentucky. More information about this new Derby weekend event can be found online at www.cincoat4thst.org.

Remembering Cesar Chavez on 3-31-13

Cesar Chavez was born on March 31, 1927 an American farm worker, labor leader and civil rights activist, who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association.

“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” – Cesar Chavez 

Behold 1500 Latinos—Everyone Graduates (B1500LEG)

B1500LEG is a great example of how one community in Louisville, Kentucky is taking the lead in addressing the needs of others, for their sakes and for our own. Starting on Saturday, March 23rd a group of volunteers, tutors and mentors are providing one-on-one instruction to twelve Latino families to help their teenage children prepare for college.

On Saturday, March 30 Dr. Antonio Perez, B1500LEG’s Training Director, introduced each student with their assigned tutors and mentors in order to give each student the help they needed most. From reading, writing and math to calculus and chemistry—tutors took turns with each student in order supplement their learning in specific subjects of their choosing.

Dr. Wes Lites, Dr. Rhonda Buchanan, Dr. Angelica Muñoz, Sonia Ruiz and Ben Ruiz (along with Dr. Perez and Dr. Maria C. Martinez Blanco) are helping to organize this Saturday Pilot Program for the entire twelve weeks, ending on June 15, 2013. Starting in the middle of April, they will schedule special presentations of other resources that will augment the B1500LEG program.

In the meantime, Dr. Perez and his volunteers (now being referred to as The B1500LEG Innovation Team) are already scheduling extra consultations with tutors on after school weekdays with certain students helping them with ACT preparation, English, math as well as applying for FAFSA and scholarship applications.

Congratulations! B1500LEG Innovation Team: 

Dr. Antonio Perez
Dr. Maria C. Martinez Blanco
Dr. Wes Lites
Dr. Angelica Muñoz
Dr. Rhonda Buchanan
Eva Gonzalez

Yolanda Moore
Sonia Ruiz and Ben Ruiz
Spencer Scruggs
Brandon Barnhill

Sarah Garza

Erran Huber

Greter Sierra

Cristin M. Redmond
Matthew Hufford

Tonya Schumaker
Kenny Karem

John Norton

Cynthia Norton

Richard Campbell

Omar Gutierrez Rebollo

Welcome! New B1500LEG Students:

Jose Andre

Rachael Lezcano
Salvador Lopez

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Spirituality Lives On In People Like Dr. Renee Campbell

I believe that there are, among us, champions for minorities—unsung heroes in our community who, like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., are devoting their every waking moments to the pursuit of equality for those among us who are disadvantaged. And, they happen to belong to the largest minority group in the world as women who have the courage to stand up for those who through no fault of their own are challenged socially and economically.

As the co-founder of both GLI’s Hispanic Latino Business Council and La Camara (the Chamber of Commerce for People of all Colors on Preston Highway), I have witnessed the tremendous development of social services programs this one individual has organized in the middle of the very community that needs those services the most. Services that are helping “people to help themselves” through adult education, childcare, youth development, income tax preparation, ESL, computer classes and providing affordable clothing for families.

I am talking about Dr. Renee Campbell—the Executive Director for Wesley House Community Services, a 501(c)(3) organization. Dr. Campbell is one of the five “2013 Women of Distinction” who will be honored on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at the The Center for Women and Families’ 26th Annual Celebration of Service & Survival to be held at the Louisville Marriott Downtown dinner program which will also recognize the other four “Women of Distinction:” Madeline Abramson, Susan Ely, Tori Murden McClure and Mary Gwen Wheeler.

Dr. Campbell distinguishes herself as not only a full-time public service social services community leader, but also an inspirational community volunteer whose avocation is to contribute to the community locally, regionally and globally.

This year, Wesley House is celebrating its 110th Anniversary. Wesley House Community Services, was founded in 1903 by the Women’s Board of City Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, of the City of Louisville and was the first Metro United Way Agency in Louisville, Wesley House’s programs are designed to meet the needs of the community it serves in the Metro Louisville Community. 

In 2006, Wesley House Community Services moved to Preston Highway United Methodist Church at 5114 Preston Highway where, to this day, extends its social services helping a very diverse community of people of all colors—of which 45% are Hispanic Latinos. 

Outside of her job at Wesley House Community Services, Dr. Campbell is Adjunct Faculty at the University of Louisville School of Education and an advocate for women and families. She is a founding mother and steering committee member of the Louisville Clothesline Project that brings attention to the widespread abuse of women.

Dr. Campbell was recently appointed to the Mayor’s Violence Prevention Task Force.  She has served on numerous Boards of Directors which include the following: Kentucky Mental Health Association, Center for Non-Profit Excellence Board of Directors, Louisville Clothesline Project Founding Member and Steering Committee, and continues to serve on the Metropolitan Housing Coalition Board of Directors and the Mary Byron Project Board of Directors.  

Regionally, Dr. Campbell is an Approved Domestic Violence Training Provider through the Kentucky Governor's Office of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence. Dr. Campbell was the first director of a transitional housing program in Louisville/Jefferson County, which was one of seven pilot transitional housing programs nationally. Dr. Campbell received local, state, and national recognition while directing this program.  

Internationally, Dr. Campbell has traveled to West African and obtained information about the challenging circumstances of many of the residents of Northern Ghana.  She visited non-governmental organizations, government officials, villages and other stakeholders to discuss and assess poverty rates, disease and illiteracy, and other issues such as family domestic violence and abuse.   She spearheaded and implemented fundraising initiatives to provide individuals with seed money to start small businesses, raised money for school uniforms and supplies for needed children.  Her grassroots efforts recently funded the implementation of a Internet Technology Center in Tolon Ghana West Africa.  She developed a partnership with the Girls Growth and Development Project; a local community based Non-Governmental Organization in the Northern Region of Ghana, West Africa.

Dr. Campbell is a native of Adairville, KY and earned her undergraduate degree from Kentucky State University in 1978 majoring in social work; earned a masters degree from the University of Louisville, Kentucky, Kent School of Social Work, with a specialization in Mental Health in 1982. Dr. Campbell received her Doctorate degree in Leadership Education from Spalding University in March 1999. Her dissertation topic was “Factors That Influence Success of African American Women.”

Dr. Campbell considers herself a very spiritual person who believes that individuals who are successful have a responsibility to reach out and help someone else.

BEN RUIZ

(Co-Founder of La Camara @ Wesley House, The Mayor’s Office for Globalization’s Magnificent 7 International Council and the Hispanic Latino Business Council).

Mayor Announces $7,400 or $10,400 in FAFSA Cash Available for College Now!

Mayor Greg Fischer and more than 100 students and education advocates gathered downtown Tuesday morning to promote the availability of college financial aid to those who act soon.

The event at the KFC Yum! Center lobby was part of the city’s 55,000 Degree program, the public-private partnership trying to add 55,000 more college graduates to Louisville by 2020.

The idea was to encourage students to act before the end of January by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA), at fafsa.ed.gov.

“Too many people pass up the chance to go to college because they assume they can’t afford it,” Fischer said. “I’m here to tell you that hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial aid and scholarships are available to those who fill out a simple on-line form.”

Students can qualify for more than $7,400 a year in state and federal grants for public colleges ($10,400 for private colleges) by completing the FAFSA, which is also commonly used to help determine eligibility for scholarships.

Grants, work-study funds and some loans are given based on need to lower-income households. Some funds are limited and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis; Kentucky’s funds will likely be committed for students at public colleges by early February and at private colleges by late February.

55,000 Degrees is working to help students and parents complete the FAFSA this weekend as part of College Goal Sunday, a nationwide program that provides free information and assistance to families applying for college financial aid. College Goal Sunday mobilizes financial aid professionals from Kentucky and Indiana colleges and universities to help college-bound students and their families complete the FAFSA.

College Goal Sunday events will take place at 17 sites across Kentucky on Sunday, including in Louisville at the Gheens Academy / Male High School, 4425 Preston Highway, from 2 to 4 p.m. For information on other locations, go to kasfaa.com

Indiana’s College Goal Sunday is set for Feb. 24 at 2 p.m., with the nearest location at Indiana University Southeast, 4201 Grant Line Road, University Center North-Hoosier Room.

Filling out the FAFSA can help students get money from other sources beyond federal aid programs, such as universities and foundations, Fischer said.

Filing a FAFSA is a requirement for many need-based scholarships. To complete the FAFSA, students need the following information for both themselves and their parents where applicable:

• 2011 income tax return.

• Estimate of 2012 income (or W-2s).

• Final 2012 pay stub.

• Driver’s license (student only).

• Social Security number.

“After making my appointment, the helpful service techs at UsedTire-Warehouse picked up my car while I went to eat lunch and they dropped my car back off in an hour! My car is running smoother than ever with the four slightly used tires I bought from Used Tire Warehouse—plus, it didn’t cost me an arm and a leg, either—I saved big!”   - By Ben Ruiz