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
Governor’s Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs
 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............................................................................................................19
FACTORS AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF LATINOS....................................................................................19
Mental Health Issues............................................................................................................................................19
RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................................................................19
PROBLEMS..........................................................................................................................................................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...................................................................................................................30
Friday October 8, 1999........................................................................................................................30
Saturday October 9, 1999....................................................................................................................30
Sponsored 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 future
we envision for the community and our local communities. We can become a divided
community, segregated along economic, social, ethnic and racial lines or we can become a
community where families and communities are weakened, of extreme inequality, of violence
and hate, in which our productive force and leadership in the world are diminished. We can
become, for the first time, a community in which our children can no longer look forward to a
future that is better than that of their parents.

Conversely, we can become a united and even greater community, a community that values all of
its citizens, where communities and families are strong and prosper, where we encourage and
build on our rich diversity. We can be an even more prosperous community, where we bring
together the enormous productive potential of all of our people, where all have an equal
opportunity to contribute to our economy and to our future-to have a decent job, a good
education, to be healthy-and to thrive through our enterprise and hard work. We can become a
community 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 millenium
than Latinos. Latinos comprise more than 50 percent of this state, including almost 49 percent of
the school age population. It is the youngest and fastest growing minority. Soon after the turn of
the century, Latinos will represent the largest minority group in the United States, and within 50
years 20 percent of the entire population will be Latinos. As citizens with a substantial role and
stake in the future of this state, we, Latino Americans- look forward with hope and promise to a
community that truly reflects the "American dream."

But even as we are hopeful, we are disturbed by the widening gaps in economic and social
opportunity between Latinos and non-Latinos. For this reason, we call on political leaders of
both parties, as well as corporate and community leaders, to support policies and programs that
promote justice, compassion, and prosperity for all of this community's citizens. On behalf of all
major ethnic groups in the Latino community, the Latinos In The new Millenium Conference
Summary offers its perspectives and findings as a policy agenda for the Latino community of
Rhode Island. The recommendations herein are the result of extensive and broad-based
discussion in the Latino community and the work of conference attendants. They represent a
vision for today and tomorrow that will enhance the community's democracy and strengthen our
community character.

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

The unemployment rate among Latinos still hovers near 10 percent, even in the face of an
improving overall employment picture, and the average wage of working Latinos remains well
below the state average. Almost one-third of working Latinos lack health insurance and Latinos
have disproportional high rates of certain diseases such as diabetes and AIDS. More than three
times 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 for
themselves and their children. The vitality, work ethic and commitment to a better tomorrow
among 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 fulfill
the 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. These
issues are the chief concerns of Latinos across the state and across the state. We offer a number
of recommendations in each of these areas that can contribute to a more economically and
socially prosperous community.

These recommendations take into account the need for a shared responsibility among
government, business, community-based organizations, and individuals in addressing the needs
of Latinos citizens and of all citizens. They also take into account our own responsibility as
citizens workers, family members and members of our community. We understand the
importance of State government leadership and support for comprehensive reforms. At the same
time, we recognize that most lasting change is initiated and takes hold at the local level. The
recommendations 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 I
graduations, etc.).

Key Policy Issues put forward by various studies, etc. on Latino

education (e.g. parental involvement, affirmative action for teachers and
administrators, 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 variety
of perspectives such as Providence School System Administrators,
Elementary or Secondary Teachers, College Teacher, College Admissions
People, Etc.

Open Discussion: SHARING IDEAS / QUESTIONS & ANSWER

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

Wrap-up: MOVING FORWARD:

Each panelist will be invited to give his/her recommendation for action at three levels: (1) state
government (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 kids
educational disadvantage starts early with 4 years olds significantly less school ready with basic
skills than white kids.

Latino students are more likely to repeat grades & by the age of 13 Latino kids are 24 years
behind 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 teachers
multicultural 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 be
involved.

Latino student teachers get "traded" into bilingual even if there interests lay elsewhere (e.s
science, 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 to
diversity & have financial aid available; private schools may however not be equipped to deal
with diversity.

DISUSSION:
Dropout rate is especially high among nonnative born Latinos; the dropout rate may also be
substantially 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 & having
significant behavioral issues.

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

We need to focus serious efforts serous efforts on the virtual nondiversity of the Central Falls
teaching/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 English
proficiency 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 as
teachers.

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 & better
manage education system.

C. Work with Latino parents around helping their kids succeeds: getting kids to school on time
monitoring 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 goals

Hispano America will concist 25% population
64% 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
th
 Hispanic students tend to drop out of school at 9 grade the have the highest
dropout 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 to
U.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 a
complicated system that needs a lot of changes, progress more Latino teachers are
needed so youth has a role model someone to look up to regardless of the challenges
that 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 see
themselves with no power not able to afford such luxury Moses Brown is offering
financial 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 undercounted
minorities much more than the broader population, and that Hispanics had fared worse than most
other groups. At a national level, 4.4 percent Blacks and 5.2 Hispanics were overlooked
compared to 1.6 percent of the total population. Hispanics and bureau officials agreed that the
government 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 encouraged
to participate. However, other issues provoked debate, and many remain skeptical about the
Census 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 the
figures 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 on
Hispanic Affairs, Progreso Latino and RILPAC held a press conference where they launched El
Censo 2000, a plan to join forces in an effort to work together towards getting a more accurate
census 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 census
takers and bilingual programs and information outlining the importance of being counted. This
information will be disseminated to the state's Spanish-speaking population via the media and
other resources.

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

The new millennium will bring great opportunities for members of the Hispanic community of
Rhode Island to become involved in areas such as politics, government, education and other
policy-making roles. Hispanic youth, today's young leaders, hoping to learn how to become
involved in making change can learn how the census and an accurate count can affect the future
of 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. Michael
Divine, representing the clergy; Jose' Aleman, Vice-Principal-Central High School in
Providence; 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 Hispanic

Affairs

CENSUS 2000

Angelo Falcón

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 Undercount

Poverty, geography, language, survey fatigue, quality enumerators

Solutions
Community networking, advocacy, media develop regional Latino Advisory Committee
National Hispanic.
Media Coalition
RI 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 room
for abuse. Immigrant families are often confused about entitlements for -which they may or may
not be, eligible (e.g. education and health care versus public assistance) This confusion may lead
families to not access necessary services. Further, families may fail to register the American
born children of undocumented parents with negative consequences for these children.

The recent "anti-terrorism act" has, in some cases, been misapplied to persons with minor
offense histories. Also, individuals may be advised to admit to (committed 'or not) crimes
unaware 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 advocacy
activities by expert civil rights activists. The primary focus of these activities is to encourage
immigration 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 on
immigration 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 immigration
process

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 retroativamente
510 años atras, lo cual affecta familias separandolas, hecho y directo no garantiza
nada

 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 seguir
comunicando con los legisladores.

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

 Los congresistas mismos le quitan el "due process" a los immigrantes con las
leyes 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 la
oficina 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 a
los 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 tan
retroactiva.

 Luis Gutieres Introdujo propuesta de ley para ammistia a los Columbianos y

Peruanos.

 Las organizaciones comunitarias debe de asignar una persona encargada para

repasar 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 a
place for itself in a nation that has put every imaginable roadblock before it, the rising numbers
of Hispanics are staggering and threatening. According the U.S. Bureau of Census, by the year
2076, the 21 million Hispanics who legally reside in the United States today will have multiplied
to 57 million, making them the largest ethnic minority in the country. (Add to that the estimates
of undocumented Hispanics, which are as high as 10 million). In the County of Los Angeles, 38
percent of the population is Hispanic, compared to 11 percent African American. Neighborhoods
that 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 the
rapid replacement of BBQ pork rib joints by taquerias.

On a local level, the African American and Hispanic communities through the years have
Worked together toward positive change on a number of occasions, such as a march on Federal
Hill which brought Black organizations; such as the Providence chapter of the NAACP and local
Hispanic leaders together to speak out against violence during an incident which occurred in that
neighborhood in the late 1 980s; census and redistricting efforts which help elect the first
Hispanic legislator in Rhode Island in the early 1990s; and the attempts by the Black Caucus and
the Hispanic Commission members to work to toward uniting their agendas with regard to issues
involving, state government. However, in recent years, on a number of occasions, levels of
disagreement between the two communities have reached a high pitch, leading to the point of
accusations during recent elections of racial intolerance and political misconduct by one group
against 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 to
make one agenda which would benefit both communities as we neared the next century. Out of
that 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 issue
discussed, as was the importance of joining forces to share and learn from one another. Sharing
agendas, developing programs at the community level, and mentoring one another (Blacks
learning from Hispanic experiences, and vise versa), and learning how similar our histories and
plights 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 Rhode
Island'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 be
outlined from which the two groups will draw additional recommendations and a date will be set
to meet and further discuss solution-building ideas.

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

16
Hispanic elected to House of Representatives); Luis Aponte (First Hispanic on Providence City
Council); 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 legislation

Black and Brown dialogue
Health care advocacy

ECONOMY= Negative, Positive

Difference of government communication between brown/black
Vs
Local 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, adequate
preventive medical care, or public health education materials.

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

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 to
health care. Any insurance reform must provide coverage for working poor and working
uninsured. As a stopgap measure, Medicaid should be expanded to include: a) coverage for all
those 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 more
readily available in a culturally competent, easily accessible and affordable setting in
communities with a high concentration of Hispanics.

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

Research - Federal support for research into diseases which disproportionally afflict Hispanics
should 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 comprehensive
manner. 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 care
providers in all fields must be significantly increased. Cultural competence must be a priority for
health 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 care

2. Age younger population
3. Education reading proficiency drop out rate
4. Access to health language
 Lack of regular source/fragmented
 Uninsured/underinsured
 Undocumented status
 Navigational
5 Mental Health
See back
6 Lack of understanding of the immigrant experience
7 Lack of providers
Quality of interpreters
8. Lack of coordination and outreach
9. Cultural competency
10. 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 etc

2. DOH & DHS must increase DEA, MHRH, DCYF coordination
Communicate to coordinate committee/legislators
3. Increase resources/investment
 Actively recruit
4. Increase diversity workforce
5. English as second language classes and Spanish for health professionals.
6. Support & encourage mentors
7. 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 as
issues 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 revitalization
strategy. 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 local
and regional industries will employ so that effective strategies may be developed to ensure that
Providence residents will be able to access and compete for available jobs.

It is also necessary to understand the economic and financial environment in which employers
and entrepreneurs must operate so that effective strategies may be developed to increase the
number 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 necessary
environment, resources, and tools to start new businesses.

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

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

Because the current environment has shifted from the government to corporate America and the
community 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 for
government activism, self-sufficiency has become the key strategy.

Economic Development for the Latino community should not only mean accumulation of
capital, but more importantly the development of an infrastructure within our communities,
economic development, business development, job creation all have to do with developing a
community. Economic development is the active participation in the creation of individual and
collective wealth in the community where one lives, participating in the economic revitalization
of 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.

22
 Latino Youth Leadership
The development of young Latino leaders is essential to achieving full Latino participation in the
nation's social and economic mainstream. Leaders play a critical role in organizing communities
for self-determination, advocating for community improvement, and representing the interests of
the communities they lead.

The conference organizers believed that leadership is already present in each community, but
generally undeveloped to its full potential. Its leadership development efforts, therefore, seek to
help community-based organizations identify and support young Latino leaders who have
commitment to their communities and to develop their knowledge, skills, and experience so that
they 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. The
Conference works to accomplish this by creating formal partnerships with emerging community
youth leaders, helping them develop their capacity to improve their leadership which are likely to
bring about positive change and empowerment for their communities, and managing a local
network of organizations involved in leadership development.

The Latino Youth Leadership workshop will serve as a forum to increase public participation by
Rhode Island Latino youth. It seeks to increase the number and support the effectiveness of
emerging young advocates, activists and Leaders from Rhode Island' Latino communities as a
means of working towards full Latino participation in the political, economic, health and
community 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 for
Latinos 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 policy
making throughout the state;

Increased Latino voter registration and voting rates;

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

Equitable Latino representation on mainstream nonprofit hoards and staffs;

23
An organized Latino community demonstrating unity in its diversity, participating fully and ac-
tively in advocacy and public policy efforts throughout the state; and
Stronger, better-funded Latino community-based organizations with a strong sense of
community 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/Spanish

It all tends to contradict one another but society makes it be indecisive of what ; who your are
Ex: parents, friends media etc... everyone is categorized White, Italian, etc... but the question is
who are we really and what are we?. We must define ourselves by our roots many categorize
themselves by language.

There might have been people who didn't pick this workshop because they don't consider
themselves 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 the
snowed be sensitive to their feelings & beliefs.

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

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 themselves
with 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 specific
category.

24
Do you believe that person born in America a person being raised from childhood compared to
an immigrant child face a difference?.

Is being P.R or Dominican etc. Make your a stronger person when you come from your country
and 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 Spanish
speaking kids say they not true Hispanic.

Your parents don't influence what you consider yourself only when your a baby but as you get
older you make your category because they want to be down with the youth, fit in so they going
through 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 they
dress with baggy pants they are drug dealers, this is an example of the categories society (the
norm) 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. youth
goes 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. Most
time 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 because
they are Hispanic/Spanish when reality and that we are all equal no one should be better than the
other 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 the
workforce is either working part-time or in some other contingent job. This workshop will
include a discussion of ways to confront employers abuse of workers in contingent jobs
including direct action, organizing worker centers and legislative strategies

 El trabajo temporal dura mas o menos de un mes entonces combiar la

mentalidad de la gente con otros.

25
  Hay trabajadores que han trabajado con campanias por muchos anos, y hay que
darle siguimiento a las leyes estatales.

 Hay trabajadores que quieren organizarce y no lo pueden hacer por la situacion

migatoria de cada uno de ellos.

 Cuales son las prioridad de la coalicion de trabajadores comision legislativa

formada por once miembros y es el oido oficial de los trabajadores temporales.
Incrementar lo bond a $50K por las nuevos companias temporales que quieran abrir
en RI.

 Organizar los trabajadores, educarles informales las leyes que solicitaron no se los
dieron todo lo que pidieron y tiene que darle seguimiento a quienes esten cumpliendo
con las leyes.

Speidell, Wworstern, Superior are closing.

Developing Political Empowerment Among Latinos

Keynote Speaker Angelo Falcón, 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 economic
empowerment.

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 be
willing to share power with other Latinos.

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

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

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

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

26
We need to overcome the political access mentality, because we've been able to elect officials
and move forward to the post access stage of insuring that our elected representatives are
responding 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, work
smart 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. Capellán, District 20
Campaign.

Panelist: Otisha Chaplin, Candidate for City Council, Woonsocket, RI, Ricardo Patiño District 3
City 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 them
elected, 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 involved
and allow them to stumble and learn, while mentoring.

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

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

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

27
We need to address the self-steem and lack of cultural pride and accept the fact that we are better
than what others think we are.

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

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

Plenary Round Table

Sunday October 10, 1999
Participants: Victor F. Capellán, Patricia Martinez, Pablo Rodriguez, MD, Tomás Alberto Avila,
José Francisco Avila, José Polanco, MD, Gladys Betancur, Deoshore F. Haig, Luis Astudillo,
Tomás Ramirez, Gertrude F, Blakely, Adhi Nagraj, Maria Robitaille, Amarilis Rodriguez, Betty
Bernal, Yamil Gomez, Cesar D. Alvarez, Jose T. Means,Yubelkis Hernandez, Ricardo Patiño,
Carlos D. Matos, Gladys L. Cok, Melba Depeña, 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 the
system 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 the
election 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 occupy
by a non minority will be available next year and we need to start identifying candidates to vie
for such seat.

We need to use perception more effectively, putting a well organized document with the
information collected at this conference and distributed to all state department heads and the
hospital 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.

28
Focus on the youth as an important issue and build coalitions with other ethnic groups while
developing 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 good
insight 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 of
visits 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 a
wake up for me regarding the temporary agencies.

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

Need to increase youth participation and take their participation into account while opening more
roads 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 parallel
youth and adult conferences.

Need to deal with youth pregnancy in the school system. While attending Mt. Pleasant High
School, 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 one
of them it'll be a success.

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

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 Mayor
in Central Falls.

Highly publicize the conference document and remember the intangible benefits that we didn't
know prior to the conference.

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

29
Remember if you have 2 Cadillac and a Rolls Royce and you can't drive, you can't get
downtown. 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 registering
them to vote.

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

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 community
and 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/Registration

Marriott Hotel, Providence

5:30pm - 7:30pm Welcome Reception

RISD Museum – 224 Benefit St.

Saturday October 9, 1999

8:00am - 9:00am Registration
Marriott Hotel, Providence

30
9:00am - 10:15am Breakfast/General Session
Census 2000: Grassroots Community Involvement Makes a World
Of 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 Gómez
Girl Scouts of RI
 Angelo Falcón
Executive Director
Institute of Puerto Rican Policy/Puerto Rican Legal Defense & Education Fund
 Rev. Michael Devine
 José Aleman
Vice Principal, Central High School
 Councilman Luis Aponte
Providence City Council, Ward 10
 Delia Smidt
U.S. Bureau of the Census

3. Latinos Health – Reprisal Room

Moderator: Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, MD
Women’s Care

Panelist
 Dr. José Polanco, MD
Rhode Island Hospital
 Cristiana De Los Santos, RN
Women & Infant Family Van
 Rodolfo Medina, MS
Latino Health Institute, Boston
 Luisa Murillo
Ocean Sate Action

31
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 Reed’s 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 Falcón, Executive Director
Institute of Puerto Rican Policy/Puerto Rican Legal Defense & Education
Fund

2:30pm - 4:00pm Workshops

A. Economic Development – Reprisal Room

Moderator: Francisco Cruz
The Providence Plan
Panelists
 Veroushka Ventura
Southside/Broad Street
 Alina Ocasio
Baruch College
 Jaime Aguayo
Small Business Administration

32
B. The Temping of Latinos – Britania Room
 Moderator: Carolina Bernal
United Workers Union
Panelists

 Mario Bueno
United Worker Committee
 Obdulio Yepes
Central 2000

C. Education Empowerment- Defiance Room

Moderator: Ralph Rodriguez

 Tomás 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 Capellán
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

33
 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 folkloric
performances at WaterFire. Artists will represent most of the nineteen
South and Central American, as well as Caribbean Spanish-speaking
countries. Admission Free

Sponsored by NORDSTROM, The Providence Journal & RI

Council of The Arts

Sunday, October 10th, 1999

8:30am - 9:30am Breakfast
Promoting 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

34
 Hispanic conference opens dialogue about race
To get anywhere, Hispanics and African-Americans need to work together, says Dr. Pablo
Rodriguez, 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, of
Cape Verdean descent, for the 20th District seat, a rivalry began that pitted Hispanics against
African-Americans, older politicians against the new and up-and-coming.

During a roundtable on relationships between Latino and African-Americans at the ``Latinos in

the New Millennium'' conference held at the Marriott Inn, Capellan put the developing politically
rivalry 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 City
Council] and some problems, as in my case. This can't be the last time an African-American runs
against 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 of
distinguised 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 gain
economic power. The room was packed with several dozen listeners and the roundtable went
over 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 to
discuss issues Latinos face in the next century and to develop skills, leadership and networking
that will help the community address those issues. The event was organized by the Center for
Hispanic Policy and Advocacy, Progreso Latino, the Governor's Advisory Commission on
Hispanic 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 relations
service office of the U.S. Department of Justice.

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

35
City Councilman Luis Aponte said that one of the biggest threats to both groups is the proposed
downsizing 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. Capellan
answered that both camps took the highroad but that there were other groups that talked about
the rivalry between the races and the press capitalized on it. Capellan said that most people
sitting on the panel were people he had looked up to as a youngster. Unfortunately, he said those
people -- he was talking mainly about the politicians on the panel -- had not been as helpful as he
had hoped.

He said he didn't want his work as the head of the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy and
his associations with Hispanic groups to mark him as being anti-African-American or pro Latino.
``I 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 a
list of statistics that told of how low on the economic ladder Hispanics and African-Americans
are. ``Our distinction and our rallying point is that we are getting screwed over economically,'' he
said. Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, president of the Rhode Island Political Action Committee, said unless
the groups join forces they won't get anywhere.

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

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

Copyright © 1999 The Providence Journal Company

Produced by www.projo.com

36
 Negros e hispanos discutieron sobre sus relaciones
Por TATIANA PINA
Reportera del Journal
Pagina Latina
10.14.99

PROVIDENCE - Cuando Victor Capellan disputó, sin exito, una elección para diputado por el
Distrito 20, contra Joe Almeida, una persona de origen de Cabo Verde, empezó una rivalidad
entre ros hispanos y los negros.

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

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

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

La sala en donde tuvieron la dis- ausión se Henó y los panelistas es tuvieron tan intensos con su
charla que se pasaron del tiempo, lo que movió 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 proveer
una disscusión y un plan de acción sobre los asuntos que que enfrentaran los hispanos en el
nuevo milenio, como ser el tema de la salud, la educación, el desarollo economico y el politico.

La actividad fue organizada por por CHisPA, Progreso Latino, la comision del governador sobre
los asuntos hispanos y por Quisqueya En Acción.

El panel empezó con una discusión 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 hispanos
durante las elecciones no eran tan importante como la necesidad de ayudar en la desproporción
de hombres hispanos y de negros que se ericuentran encarcelados.

37
Aponte dijo que ninguno de los dos grupos ayudaban a sus jóvenes a desarrollarse en la politica.
Una de las mas grandes amenazas que enfrentaran los dos grupos será la propuesta reducción de
la legislatura.

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

El senador Charles Walton, quien con Aponte ayudó a Joe Almeida en su campaña, le preguntó a
Capellan si habia hablado mal de su campaña. Capellán dijoo que cada campaña habia tomado el
caminó dificil pero que otros habian discutido la rivalidad racial y que la prensa se habia fijado
en esto.

Dijo que no queria que su puesto como director de CHisPA y su trabajó con las organizaciones
lo marcara como anti negro o pro hispano "Yo traté 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 económico. leyó cifras estadisticas que
mostraban la gran diferencia entre los ingresos de los negros e hispanos y el ingreso de los
blancos.

El Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, presidente del Rhode Island Political Action Connnittee concluyó
djciedo 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 en
el trasero. Si no aprendemos atrabajar juntos no logramos nada."

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

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

Copyright © 1999 The Providence Journal Company

38
 Board votes to expand bilingual services
The School Board resolution says it intends to expand programs for children with limited English
ability 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 to
show 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 within
the next 45 days.

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

Critics, including School Board member Juan Lopez, have charged that the department has been
woefully deficient in looking after the needs of youngsters of limited language ability who also
appear 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 School
Department 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 situation
where many children are languishing in classroom settings not suited to their needs or are not
going to school at all.

At last night's School Board session, members were asked to vote on a resolution that would
assure the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights that the School Department will
have a program in place no later than next month to see that children who speak languages other
than 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 special
education and the establishment of a second bilingual evaluation team.

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

39
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 they
were going to speed the process along. ``As 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 the
new interpreters, new team and new supervisor that supposedly would be hired, and he's not at
all sure that the department really intends to follow through.

``I'd like us put our money where our mouth is,'' Lopez said. ``If the funds are there, as Mr.
DeRobbio has stated, why haven't we already filled these positions? I haven't seen one piece of
evidence 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 members
of the staff had been working throughout the summer to try to complete all the student
evaluations, 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 existing
federal 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 evaluations
has 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, who
has 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 that
the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights has involved itself in oversight of the city's
programs for special education students.

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

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

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

40
with the School Department, led to a proposal for a formal agreement that would allow the
federal 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 some
members raised numerous questions.

For example, Olga Noguera said her understanding was that by the time the district signed the
resolution 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 asked
rhetorically.

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 who
have 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 know
why.''

In addition, Noguera said, ``parents are waiting for students to be assessed, and they are not
being assessed.''

Many of the school district's own recommendations regarding bilingual special education have
been 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 own
recommendations, with the second full-time multi-disciplinary evaluation team being the most
pressing.

Besides the second evaluation team, and a supervisor for bilingual special education, the
proposed agreement calls for major initiatives to recruit, hire and train more teachers in bilingual
education, 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 education
evaluations.
It would provide comprehensive professional development for English as a Second Language,
special education and bilingual education teachers. Regular education teachers would also get
training regarding referrals to special education and ways to help students in an effort to avoid
such referrals.

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

41
Under the compliance agreement approved last night, the OCR will monitor the district's
implementation 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 Pare
Managing Editor
PBN

Rhode Island taxpayers currently spend over $1 billion on health care and related services
provided directly by the state, and consumers, another $4 - $5 billion on services in the medical
marketplace. Before we commit to dramatic interventions, the state must enhance its
understanding of how market pressures are affecting the health care industry, how the industry
is responding, and which strategies are likely to meet with success while contributing positively
to 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 the
number 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 and
health 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 the
breadth 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

42
Assembly, and others can turn to for information. It is a baseline to tell us where we are right
now. We needed that."

Elizabeth Burke Bryant, executive director of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT and a member of the
council, 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 Rhode
Island: Including Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, Coordinated Health Partners,
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, United Health Care of New England, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield
of 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 individuals
covered 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 over
the course of a reporting period. Second, there exists a substantial but diminishing occurrence of
double coverage in the population across various product and product lines, which the industry
estimates 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 plan
debate."

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

For example, motor vehicle crashes continue to be one of the leading causes of injury and death
in 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 by
approximately 50 percent if passengers and drivers regularly used safety belts. Between 1990
and 1995, according to the report, more passengers in Rhode Island and throughout the country
were 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 seat
belt, 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 (76
percent) from the employer-based health insurance market. A small (14 percent) but growing
share of total revenue flows from Medicare risk business. Medicaid accounts for just 7 percent of
health plan revenue, and premiums from individual sales total 2 percent.

43
According to statistics provided by the state Department of Business Regulation, it is clear that
the health plans, in total, are experiencing a rapid and accelerating decline in financial
performance. 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 Island
facilities. While employment data is not available from the regulatory filings, there are
indications that in-state employment among the health plans is decreasing and could further
decline. As both national and regional consolidation among managed-care companies has
occurred, 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 growth
in membership with predominately in-state employment.

Rhode Island's infant mortality rate has improved over the past decade, from 8.6 infant deaths
per 1,000 births to 7.0, and is among the lowest in the nation. Over the last ten years, infant
mortality 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 the
activities of daily life. Approximately 5,500 of these individuals receive services through the
public mental health system. Of this group, 65 percent ( 3,400) are served by the Rhode Island
Medicaid program, comprising 2.6 percent of the Medicaid population and 5.5 percent of
Medicaid expenditures. Thirty-five percent of the SPMI population seeking services through the
public 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 through
five. The proportion of Rhode Island children in that age bracket with elevated blood lead levels
is almost five times national figure.

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

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

The direct expenditures of Rhode Island hospitals accounted for over 6 percent of Gross State
Product 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.

44
Rhode Island hospitals had 23,400 employees - an estimated 10.2 percent of total state
employment, the fourth highest employment sector in the state. Direct payroll expenditures
amounted to $823.6 million.

The hospitals provided $36.2 million in revenues to state and local governments through state
income tax payments and temporary disability payments.
$33 million in research funding was received by hospitals with teaching affiliations with the
Brown University Medical School.

The Governor's Advisory Council on Health is chaired by Gov. Lincoln Almond, and co-chaired
by Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty and Christine C. Ferguson, director of the state department of
human services. The council is composed of 27 members from the community

Conferencia Latinos en el Nuevo Milenio

Con un saludo a los muchos Hispanos en Providencia, y en celebracion del Mes de la Herencia
Hispana, comenzando el Viernes 8 de octubre se realizo la primera conferencia Latinos en el
Nuevo milenio. El futuro de las comunidad Latina en el estado de Rhode Island fue el tema
central de la conferencia Latinos en el neuevo milenio celebrada en Providence, RI el pasado fin
de semana. Durante esta conferencia en sexta version se reunieron mas de 130 Latinos y
amigos/as de la comunidad latina para tratar temas de interes para los asistentes. Esta
conferencia organizada a nivel local por CHisPA, Progreso Latinoy la Comision dl Governador
sobre asuntos Hispanos conto con la participación de lideres Latinos a todos niveles de nuestra
sociedad a travez de todo el estado.

Los temas centrales de la conferencia fueron el Censo 2000, el desarrollo economico, la salud, la
educación, el empoderamiento politico, el liderazgo de los jovenes, los trabajos temporales, las
reformas de inmigración y la relacion entre la comunidad Latina y la comunidad Afroamericana.
Estos temas los cuales tocan a todos los Latinos fueron debatidos y se presentaron diferentes
estragias para poder trabajar en los mismos. Todo los presentes tuvieron la oportunidad de
presentar su punto de vista y de escuchar a expertos en los diferentes temas que se prensentaron.

Durante el encuentro el cual se llevo a cabo en el hotel Marriott de Providence estuvieron

presente lideres de la comunidad Latina como tambien lideres de la comunidad Afroamericana
para tartar de encontrar un punto de partida hacia el proximo milenio.

También, en este magno evento estuvieron presentes personas que visitavan de estado vecinos
como Nueva York, Massachusetts, Connecticut y otros como el orador principal del desayuno
del Sabado Melvin Delgado, professor de trabajo social en la universidad de Boston. El Profesor
Delgado, pudo proveer a los presente durante su discurso una voz de aliento y de
empoderamiento ya que hablo de la importancia del de la participacion de los Latinos en el
Censo 2000. Tambien exalto la importancia de la involucracion de los jovenes en proceso del
censo y la participacion politica.

45
Mas que nada la importancia de esta conferencia fue la participación masiva de los presentes
destacandose una gran participacion de jovenes y de mujeres latinos que buscan crear un foro
pro-activo centralizado en temas que afectan las vidas de los latinos que residen en el estado de
Rhode Island y estuvo complacida por el trabajo realizado por la organizacióne afitrionas.

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

Durante la conferencia se llegaron acuerdos de algunas resoluciones adoptadas para darle

segimiento 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 mesa
redonda en la cual participaron muchos de los asistentes a la conferencia.

About CHisPA
The Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy (CHisPA), formerly Hispanic Social Services
Association has had fifteen years of experience serving and advocating for the Rhode Island
Latino community. CHisPA is a 501(c) 3, tax-exempt, non-profit organization. The mission of
CHisPA is to lead and influence change to improve the quality of life for Latinos in Rhode
Island. 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 more
effective representation of Latinos on decision-making bodies and in planning capacities.
Currently, CHisPA provides advocacy for, and empowerment of, the Latino community in issues
ranging from education and health to environmental justice to domestic violence. We have
established networks with dozens of local, regional, and national organizations to share resources
and improve our programs.

Our primary constituencies include the immigrant and refugee communities in Rhode Island, as
well as the institutions that serve them on all levels. Rhode Island had the highest growth rate of
Latinos in the entire country during the 1980s; at 146% the Latino population increased by more
than 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 will
indicate once again record numbers for Latinos in this area. One need only to look at the growth
within the Providence School System of Latino children to realize that this is a continuously
growing community with greater obstacles and necessities. Our goal is to improve the
circumstances of the Rhode Island Latino population through articulate and effective
representation of a Hispanic agenda at different levels of decision-making. We also aim to
strengthen networks between the community and area providers in order to ensure that services
to Latinos are culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate.

46
 About Progreso Latino

The increasing Latino population in Rhode Island during the 1970's, plus the perceived inability
of existing state social services to adequately meet the needs of this population, led to the
incorporation of Progreso Latino. Local Hispanic leaders had a vision of establishing a non-
profit, tax exempt agency to be directed and staffed by bilingual/bicultural individuals in order to
address the basic human needs of the Latino community. Our mission is to expedite the Latino
community's incorporation into the American mainstream by creating opportunities to improve
quality of life, and promote social, economic and educational empowerment. This in turn will
lead our community towards greater self-sufficiency and self-determination.

Since its inception, Progreso Latino has evolved from a neighborhood, grassroots organization,
renting and operating out of a storefront on Dexter Street in Central Falls, to a four-story
building, in the heart of Central Falls, and a satellite office in Providence.

After two decades of service, Progreso Latino has built a rock-solid organization rich in tradition,
with a vast history of struggle commitment, accomplishment, and a continuing vision to carry us
into the next millennium. Our greatest asset is our people: our dedicated staff and board members
- both past and present - their wisdom, their continuing efforts to make a difference in the lives
of others and their unselfishness in extending a helping hand; our funding sources; and most
importantly, our clients who day alter day continue to seek our services, who entrust us with their
problems as well as their hopes and dreams, and who validate Progreso Latino's reason to exist.

About The Governor's Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs

The Governor's Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs was established in 1991 and charged
with to advising the Governor and Legislature of the State of Rhode Island on the issues
affecting Hispanics in the state.

The Commission works closely with state department directors, legislators and the Governor and
his staff by making them aware of existing programs, legislation and current issues that affect the
Spanish-speaking population on a statewide and national level.

The Hispanic Commission is non-political and non-partisan, and members represent a cross-
selection of individuals representing the various Hispanic ethnic groups, geographical boundaries
and community organizations. All members must be of Hispanic origin. Individuals who are
interested in joining the Commission are reviewed by a nominating committee, and
recommendations are made to the Governor by the Chair of the Commission.

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 About Quisqueya In Action
Quisqueya In Action, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to improve the lives of
Dominicans/ Latinos in the City of Providence, Quisqueya is celebrating its 11th anniversary this
year and over the years it has become a powerful institution within the Latino community. Our
major goals include youth empowerment, economic community development and cultural
awareness. This organization has been the catalyst organization in developing a movement
within young people called "A Generation that cares."

Our organization was founded in 1987 in the wake of a successful Dominican Festival, which
was organized by a group of young Dominicans. The intent of the Festival is to cultivate and
promote a better understanding of the Dominican culture and its traditional values. Presently, this
Festival is the biggest event held by Latinos in the State of Rhode Island. This year the Festival,
in its 11th version, created such an impact that month after many people are still talking about it!
Throughout the years, our work has been significant. We have organized and educated parents to
take more active roles in the school life of their children. Hundreds of school-aged children have
participated in the summer performing arts and tutorial assistance program organized by
Quisqueya In Action, Inc. We also conducted a successful Citizenship program where most of
our graduates have become United States Citizens.

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 Sponsors

Title Sponsor

The Providence Journal

Diversity Initiative

Bronze Sponsors

BankBoston
Bell Atlantic

Contributor
Neighborhood Health Plan of