Thursday, December 8, 2011

Maggie Daley, Latinos Politicos, Holiday Reception, Remapping of Wards, Disability Rights, A Celebration, Events

        IN MEMORY: Maggie Daley [1943-2011] was a class act. I met Mrs. Daley in Copenhagen, Denmark Oct. 2, 2009 as a member of the Outreach Committee for the Chicago Olympic 2016 Games. Copenhagen hosted the International Olympic Committee [IOC] convention to vote for the city who would host the 2016 Olympics. Mayor Richard M. Daley lead a contingent of 500 Chicagoans to Copenhagen in support of Chicago's bid for the Olympics games.
Maggie Daley, August Sallas, Nadia Comaneci
        MAYOR DALEY and Pat Ryan, Chairman of the 2016 Chicago Olympic Committee, hosted a dinner meeting for the Chicago contingent informing us what to expect while in Copenhagen. Prior to the meeting delegates had an opportunity to mingle with one another. The ambiance was festive. Three tables away from where I was sitting Maggie Daley was sitting with Olympian Nadia Comaneci.
        MRS. DALEY thanked me for supporting the Chicago bid for the 2016 Olympic games and for being in Copenhagen. To meet Mrs. Daley was an honor. She was gracious to have a photograph taken with me. The trip to Copenhagen was exciting even though Chicago did not win the 2016 bid. Maggie Daley's legacy is an inspiration to all Chicagoans and cancer victims alike.
        LATINOS POLITICOS: More Latinos are filing for public office and/or for party positions in Illinois and Cook County. An important observation is several Latino politicians hold more than one political position within their communities.
        THERE ARE two Latino candidates who have filed for the March 20, 2012 Primary Election for a Countywide positions. Incumbent Anita Alvarez who is seeking re-election as Cook County State's Attorney and has been endorsed by the Cook County Democratic Party. The other, Ricardo Munoz, filed his candidacy for Clerk of the Circuit Count on Monday, Dec. 5, 2011. "I'm a lifelong reformer. My career has been about cleaning up government." said Munoz.
Ricardo Munoz
        LATINO CANDIDATES who filed for the Office of Democratic Ward Committeeman for the Tuesday, March 20, 2012 Primary Election are:
1st Ward: Incumbent Jesse Ruben Juarez and Proco "Joe" Moreno. Moreno is the 1st Ward. Alderman.
12th Ward:  Incumbent Antonio "Tony" Munoz. Munoz is the State Senator of State Senate District 1.
15th Ward: Raymond A. Lopez.
22nd Ward: Incumbent Ricardo Munoz and Neftalie Gonzalez. Munoz is the 22nd Ward Alderman, State Central Democratic Committeeman for the 4th Congressional District and a candidate for Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
25th Ward: Incumbent Daniel "Danny" Solis. Solis is the Alderman of the 25th Ward.
26th Ward: Incumbent Roberto Maldonado. Maldonado is the Alderman of the 26th Ward.
30th Ward: Incumbent Ariel E. Reboyras. Reboyras is the Alderman of the 30th Ward.
31st Ward: Incumbent Joseph Berrios and Alonzo Zaragoza. Berrios is the Cook County Assessor and the Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party.
35th Ward: Incumbent Rey Colon. Colon is the Alderman of the 35th Ward.
45th Ward: Jose L. "Joe" Rivera.
Michael Cabonargi
        HOLIDAY RECEPTION: The Honorable Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon will be the special guest at a holiday reception honoring Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Michael Cabonargi [District 2]. The reception will be held at Hotel Allegro, 171 Randolph St., Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
        DONOR LEVELS: To be a Co-Chair $2,500, Host $1,500, Sponsor $1,000, Friend $750 and for individual ticket: $150. To RSVP or for information call 312/854-8018. To purchase tickets visit www.cabonargi.com/donate.
        MICHAEL M. Cabonargi was sworn-in on February 10, 2011 as the Commissioner of the Second District on the Cook County Board of Review by Chief Justice Timothy Evans. Commissioner Cabonargi served as a senior attorney and prosecutor in the Chicago Regional Office of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from 2005 to 2011. He has hosted several seminars on how homeowners can appeal their property assessment. Commissioner Cabonargi office is at the Cook County Building, Room 601 and his phone number is 312/603-5560.
Proco Moreno
        REMAPPING OF WARDS: Ald. Proco "Joe" Moreno reported in his 1st Ward Newsletter that over the last decade the city's black population has declined by about 181,000. The number of whites dropped by about 53,000 and the Latino population grew by about 25,000. If the ethnic and racial makeup of the city mirrored its population, Chicago City Council should have 16 whites, 16 blacks, 15 Latinos and three Asian Aldermen. Presently, the City Council has 22 white Aldermen, 19 African-Americans, eight Latinos and one member of Indian descent.
         NEW WARD boundaries must be redrawn every 10 years. To avoid a referendum, a minimum of 41 aldermen must vote on, and sign off on, a new remap. The 1990 remap referendum cost Chicago taxpayers around $20 million. In 2000 there was only one dissenting vote against that remap. The 50 City Aldermen must vote on a new city ward map in December of 2011. The Latino Aldermanic Caucus is seeking the creation of 14 Latino wards to reflect the increase of its population.
Jaime Cornejo
        DISABILITY RIGHTS: Last week Jaime Cornejo, Staff Associate for Community Development, with the Access Living organization dropped in at the Little Village Community Council office to inform us about Access Living's upcoming educational community forum. The forum is titled "Disability Rights." The forum is for those with disabilities regardless of legal status.  Jaime said the forum is for those with disabilities to learn what their rights are and the services available in order for them to live independently and have access to housing. This is Access' ultimate goal. "Be a part of your community, learn and defend disability rights and services!"
        "CAMBIANDO VIDAS", a group of, and for, Latinos with disabilities invites you to participate the educational community forum on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 at Toman Library, 2708 S. Pulaski Ave. starting at 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The forum will be conducted in Spanish.
         FOR MORE INFORMATION or to request a language/ASL interpreter or other accommodations or to RSVP call Michelle Garcia. Michelle is the community organizer for the Cambiando Vidas program and can be reached at 312/640-2194 or TTY: 312/640-2104 or email: mrobbins@accessliving.org.
        JAIME CORNEJO is Chilean who has a mild physical disability but an impressive demeanor. He began working for Access Living last month. In 2009 he graduated from University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana with a degree in philosophy and African studies. In May 2011, he graduated from the University of Chicago with a Masters degree in Educational Policy Studies.
        PRIOR TO working for Access, Jaime worked for the Dept. of Human Services. "The reason for taking a position with Access is that they are great organization who advocates the needs of people with disabilities in Chicago," said Jaime. Jaime has been canvassing Little Village and said, "I didn't know Little Village had so many people with disabilities. I've met people with multiple disabilities; those in wheel and power chairs, the hearing challenged and even a person with a leg prostheses."
        CHICAGO IS not ADA friendly [Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990], according to Jaime. "The only place is on the CTA buses and "L" stations mostly, but not all are handicap accessible. In terms of ADA friendly housing, it is not accessible. Disability barriers are the main issues in housing because handicap people do not have the mobility to leave their homes. Jaime believes the reason most Latinos do not know about their rights is simply because they cannot leave their homes. 
        INVISIBLE DISABILITIES, such as learning disabilities or blindness, are under Access' umbrella of aid and the purpose for their outreach efforts in our  Latino community.  If Access cannot meet a particular need, they will direct their client to another organization better suited to assist the disabled client. Access has focused on Latinos in the Little Village community because of extent of need.
        WE WANT to help people with disabilities--adults and youth--to become self-sufficient and lead  normal lives with dignity," Jaime concluded. Cambiando Vidas' program is under the auspices of Access Living. 
Our Lady of Guadalupe
        A CELEBRATION: Mexican Catholics annually celebrate December 12th as the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This year the feast is Monday, Dec. 12, 2011. Honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe dates back to the 16th Century beginning with a story of a poor Indian named Cuauhtlatohuac, who was baptized and given the name of Juan Diego. Diego lived in a small village near Mexico City and was a 57 year old widower.
        DECEMBER 9, 1531, a Saturday morning, Juan reported that on his way to a nearby barrio to attend mass he passed a hill called Tepeyac and he saw a radiant cloud and an apparition of a young maiden. The maiden told him to go to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarrage, and tell him she wanted a shrine built where she stood, in her honor.
        WHEN JUAN told the bishop of the Lady's request the bishop told Juan to have the Lady give him a sign. The Lady provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his woven cloth called a tilma or ayate. When Juan opened his tilma in the Bishop's presence, the roses fell to the ground and the Bishop sank to his knees. On Juan's tilma appeared an image of  Our Lady of Guadalupe exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac.
        JUAN DIEGO was canonized Saint Juan Diego by Pope John Paul II on July 31, 2002 at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City the major shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 



                                                  CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Saturday, Dec. 10—Vacunas gratis/free flu shots from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Little Village Community, 3610 W. 26th St.
Monday, Dec. 12--Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. 

Saturday, Dec. 17--"Disability Rights" forum at Toman Library, 2708 S. Pulaski Ave. from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. In Spanish language and ASL interpreter. Call Michelle Garcia, 312/640-2194 or TTY 312/640-2102 or email: nrobbins@accessliving.org
Wednesday, Dec. 21: Santa Claus will be at Farragut Career Academy, 2345 S. Christiana Ave. in Little Village  from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Breezeway.  Bring your children, ages 3 – 6 years old only, to this community event. For more info call: 773/534-1300.