El Semanario - Periodico para Hispanos en Denver y Colorado - Bilingual Latino newspaper:Cover Story

Why Guantanamo hunger strike could be the last

SC: Why did you call your memoir "The General"? AE: Because I was one of a limited number of prisoners at Guantanamo who spoke English, I was often forced to be an "unofficial leader" by guards and interrogators. They nicknamed me "the general." SC: How were you released? AE: I was released in

Temp agencies, �raiteros� exploit undocumented

Ty Inc. became one of the world's largest manufacturers of stuffed animals thanks to the Beanie Babies craze in the 1990s. But it has stayed on top partly by using an underworld of labor brokers known as raiteros, who pick up workers from Chicago's street corners and shuttle them to Ty's warehouse

Colorado repeals �show me your papers� law

With Gov. John Hickenlooper�s signature last week on the �Community and Law Enforcement Trust Act,� Colorado is the first state in the country to repeal a law hostile to immigrants. In 2006 Colorado, along with South Carolina, became one of the first states in the nation to pass controversial

Bennet, Group of 8 introduce immigration bill

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet last week joined Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to introduce a bill to fix our broken immigration system. The Border Security,

Citizenship must reflect more humane principles

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) finds the immigration bill introduced last week a modest start on reform, due to provisions that address family unification and workers� rights and create a narrow path to citizenship for some immigrants. But much of the bill reproduces many of the

Communities of color face higher environmental risks

This week we celebrate Earth Day, an international campaign for environmental awareness and protection. While this is a time to celebrate our planet, we are also reminded of the great environmental risks facing communities of color and their resilience to protect both the planet and their

Maya bring baseball passions to U.S.

In Mexico, the Mayas are a people apart. Half a millennium since Spanish conquistadors set foot in Mesoamerica, their numbers stand in the millions and they remain racially, linguistically and culturally distinct from their non-indigenous countrymen. While most Mexicans are bursting with national

Monsanto conquest meets Aztec resistance

Monsanto has a map for conquering the world and Mexico is in the center of it. For nearly two decades the transnational corporation that manufactures the pesticides used across the planet has been trying to take over the global seed market with genetically modified (GM) seed. If successful, most of

Our world is a better place because of César

Thousands of people are expected to participate in marches to honor the legacy of César E. Chávez, founder of the United Farm Workers of América. Chávez's birthday is a holiday celebrated in eight states across the nation on March 31st, including Colorado. The César Chávez Peace and Justice

Keystone XL pipeline: Sick with greed

Yudith Nieto has no time to waste. And like so many other young people like her, she's no longer waiting for a society that insists on postponing confronting the problem that will define her and future generations: climate disruption. That�s why Yudith -- a native Mexican and tireless

Who are the 'UndocuQueer?' New reports shed light

A report released last week by the Williams Institute at UCLA estimates that there are at least 267,000 self-identified LGBT undocumented immigrant adults living in the United States. The number is a conservative estimate � because many people who fit into both categories are reluctant to identify

DeHerrera�s, CPC: Remove dangerous officers

In the wake of a ruling by the Denver Civil Service Commission hearing officers that reinstated Officer Randy Murr, a Denver Police officer involved in the unwarranted and unlawful cover up of the beating of their son, Michael DeHerrera; the DeHerrera family met with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock

Voter rights at risk in Supreme Court ruling

Kilmichael, a small town in northern Mississippi, is known to blues aficionados as the place where blues artist B.B. King first began his love affair with the guitar. To voting rights advocates, it�s a place that helps spotlight the ongoing need for Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), now

Preschool narrows education gap for many

Celia Rubi Medina is quick to raise her hand when her teacher asks about the meaning of the word, metamorphosis. �It�s when the little caterpillar becomes a butterfly,� says the 4-year-old girl, a Head Start student. �We don�t have a lot of money, but we strive to (give) the best education for our

GOP making undocumented América�s new underclass

Conservatives in the House of Representatives are rejecting the growing bipartisan consensus for permitting undocumented immigrants to earn citizenship. Instead, one prominent negotiatior, Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-ID), suggested a legal status �compromise� that would keep 11 million immigrants in a

Alzheimer�s: Stealing her mother�s memory

A daughter describes her battle against the disease that is stealing her mother�s memory -- and the federal and state regulations that make it hard for her immigrant mother to get help. "It's really hard to see it destroy someone," said Jenny Dávila, referring to her mother, Ana Caballero, who has

Why it�s time for immigration reform

President Barack Obama delivered a major speech on �redoubling� White House efforts to pass comprehensive immigration reform in Las Vegas this week. The following are 10 reasons why immigration reform is an idea whose time has come. 1. Congressional leaders from both parties agree on the principles

Communities losing their youth to gun violence

Last month Americans watched as yet another instance of horrific gun violence took place. While the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School is perhaps one of the most appalling instances of gun violence we have ever seen, it was far removed from the kind of gun violence that is both more common and

Continuing Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.�s vision President Barack Obama

Half a century ago, América was moved by a young preacher who called a generation to action and forever changed the course of history. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. devoted his life to the struggle for justice and equality, sowing seeds of hope for a day when all people might claim "the

Latinos may define rules in aging América

For Paula and Manuel Cisneros, every day is a challenge of survival. At 73, he cuts and bags cactus to sell on the street to pay for basic expenses and she is looking for a job. A peaceful retirement for them just looks like a very distant dream. "Aging is very easy, but to do it with dignity and

Immigrant mothers: �I think of everything I�ve lost�

As national media debate whether women can �have it all� � a successful career and a family � one group of women has chosen to provide for their families at all costs, even if it means leaving their kids behind. They are the undocumented immigrants who work as nannies in the United States and who,

Latinos applaud EPA�s updated soot standard

�Voces Verdes applauds the Environmental Protection Agency for finalizing air quality standards for fine particulate matter, or soot. The new stronger soot protections will make our air cleaner nationwide and reduce health problems across the country including preventing approximately 15,000

Merry Christmas!

Immigration Reform: Smart policy, good politics

True immigration reform that deals practically and responsibly with the 11 million people living in the United States without immigration status has proven elusive over the past decade. Partisan gridlock has repeatedly prevented Congress from overhauling the immigration system. As a result, the only

People of Color: Pay attention to fiscal showdown

Thanks to congressional Republicans holding the economy hostage during the debt ceiling debacle in the summer of 2011, a package of automatic, across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration is set to go into effect on January 2, 2013. At the same time, the Bush-era tax cuts and a number of

ACE cultivates gratitude during holiday season

Making sure his students enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with their families, Eloy Chávez, founder and Executive Director of Adolescent Counseling Exchange Challenge School (ACE/CCS) and his dedicated staff sent home 150 baskets filled with food to students and their families last

Women benefit from the Affordable Care Act

One way women benefit from the Affordable Care Act is through a regulation guaranteeing coverage for women�s preventive services without cost sharing. These services include annual well-woman visits; gestational diabetes screenings; testing for human papillomavirus; counseling for sexually

Latino voters noted as �national political force�

President Obama won re-election with the solid support of the Latino electorate, reaching a historic high of 75 percent -- the largest percentage for a Democratic presidential nominee since President Kennedy�s election in 1960 -- according to Latino Decisions-impreMedia Election eve poll of Latino

The Harry Reid effect: What it means for 2012

As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) awoke on Election Day 2010, he was, in the words of Tom Kludt of Talking Points Memo, �a goner.� As Kludt said, �In the dying embers of the 2010 midterms, the Senate majority leader appeared to be on the ropes. Polls from a variety of well-known outlets

12.2 million Latinos are expected to cast ballots

While Latino turnout is poised to reach historic heights this November, more than 12.2 million Latinos are expected to cast ballots, Latino voters are still facing significant obstacles. In recent years, these obstacles have taken the form of restrictive state voting laws and procedures that make it

Affirmative Action: Our collective best interest

The U.S. Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments last week in Fisher v. University of Texas, a case that will impact a generation of Latinos and other young people of color seeking higher education. An adverse ruling by the justices�one declaring race-conscious admission policies

Small Business: Initiatives that build

President Obama believes that entrepreneurs and small businesses are engines of innovation and economic growth and are at the forefront of the nation's economic recovery. This is why the Obama Administration has worked to enact 18 small business tax cuts and numerous measures to help more small

Voter ID: Demobilizing youth of color

Election turnout among young people of color, including African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans, may drop by nearly 700,000 voters in states with new photo ID laws, a decline potentially impacting presidential contests in the battleground states of Florida and Pennsylvania, according to a

People of color will not tolerate voter suppression

With a pivotal Presidential election just weeks away, local and national organizations are working around the clock to make sure people are registered and get out their vote on November 6th. At the local level, Colorado voters have recently become victims of voter suppression tactics, and by

Forward policies versus backward ideals

Mitt Romney�s campaign is in damage control mode this week, trying to explain Romney telling wealthy donors in a private meeting that �there are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the President no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon

Economic contribution of immigrants in Colorado

Debates about the economic and fiscal benefits and drawbacks of immigrants typically oversimplify the role that immigrants play in our economy. When one looks more closely, they will find that the impact that immigrants (or any group for that matter) have on the economy is multifaceted and

Democratic Party 2012 Platform

The Democratic Party Platform reflects President Obama�s vision for the future. Meanwhile, the Republican Party, led by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, approved a platform that supports the same top-down economic policies that hurt the middle class and embraces extreme positions on issues and policies

Racial inequities in school spending continues

When it comes to spending on the education of our children, students of color are being shortchanged, according to the Center for American Progress�s latest education report, �Unequal Education: Federal Loophole Enables Lower Spending on Students of Color.� Nearly 60 years after the 1954 landmark

Latinos are driving force in demographic change

Our country is rapidly changing. As we approach the year 2050, our nation will be increasingly more diverse, and Latinos will be one of the forces driving this demographic change. According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population estimate, there are roughly 50.5 million Hispanics representing

Deadline to request foreclosure review extended

Borrowers seeking a review of their mortgage foreclosures under the federal banking agencies' Independent Foreclosure Review now have until December 31, 2012, to submit their requests. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

Guidelines for requesting Deferred Action

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released important details about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process this week, which will temporarily allow some eligible youth to go to school and work without fear of deportation. Individuals who demonstrate that they

Voter photo ID laws having harsh impact

If no one provides him with a ride, José Zuniga, 83-years old and wheelchair-bound, would have to take two or three buses and travel 20 miles to reach the nearest south Texas government office that could issue the new photo ID he will need to vote in upcoming elections. Zuniga is one of a

Managing distress in the aftermath of a shooting

You may be struggling to understand how a shooting could occur and why such a terrible thing would happen. There may never be satisfactory answers to these questions. We do know, though, that it is typical for people to experience a variety of emotions following such a traumatic event. These

Have you had enough?

I want to make an offer to my fellow Americans who are, like myself, reeling from the worst �random� shooting the country has ever seen. My question: Have you had enough? Because if you have, I can tell you how to stop this kind of madness. I know that�s a bold claim, but this is not a time for

Perlmutter calls on Congress to stop outsourcing jobs

Working families are keeping the pressure on elected officials and candidates to reject outsourcing and support the �Bring Jobs Home� Act. Activists have already hosted nearly 100 events outside offices of politicians and corporations across the country to demand Congress take immediate steps to

Immediate action to help small businesses

The President believes that entrepreneurs and small businesses are engines of innovation and economic growth and are at the forefront of the nation's economic recovery. This is why the Obama Administration has worked to enact 18 small business tax cuts and numerous measures to help more small

DREAM Act: �I will sign it right away�

Editor�s Note: The following are remarks by President Barack Obama on immigration, in the Rose Garden on June 15, 2012. This morning, Secretary Napolitano announced new actions my administration will take to mend our nation�s immigration policy, to make it more fair, more efficient, and more just

Unregistered Latinos Voters

Kids, teens: Free summer meals across metro area

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock and local sponsors t kicked-off Denver�s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) this week, which will provide free meals to nearly 12,000 children daily. �Summer break is a time when many of Denver�s children have limited access to healthy and nutritious foods,� Mayor

Dolores Huerta: A living legend honored By Hilda Solis

Through tearful eyes, today, I proudly watched as the leader of our nation placed the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States of America, around the neck of my personal hero-Dolores Huerta.� She joins the ranks of other luminaries throughout history, including

CAD student: �This is not right, it�s not fair�

�We are willing to walk the nearly 3,000 mile trek from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Are you willing to support us? Will you stand in solidarity with us? Let�s walk and talk.� This is the mission of students who are gathering national support as they walk a 3,000 mile trek across the country to

Legislating an end to racial profiling

No one denies � at least openly � that racial profiling is bad practice. The question at hand, and one raised during a Senate Committee hearing on civil and human rights last week, is how to end it. On Tuesday, April 17, the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights listened

Community honors beloved poet, humanitarian

Praise, good memories and unconditional love were abundant this week as friends and family gathered to remember humanitarian and poet Abelardo �Lalo� Delgado at the 5th Annual Lalo Delgado Poetry Festival held at the St. Cajetan�s Center on the Auraria Campus, sponsored by the MSCD President�s

DHA highlights revitalization projects in west Denver

The Denver Housing Authority (DHA) celebrated the next phase of community revitalization at the Mariposa development on West 10th Ave. and Navajo St. on April 10. Festivities began with an opening ceremony with local dignitaries Ismael Guerrero, DHA�s Executive Director, Congresswoman Diana

Chávez� vision continues through leadership

Epic photos of César Chávez, colorful placards displaying messages of �Si Se Puede! and Huelga were carried through the streets of southwest Denver last Saturday in remembrance of the late leader. Hundreds joined the 11th Annual César Chávez Day celebration, organized by the César Chávez Peace and

What did you do with the farm workers?

Thousands of people worked over five historic decades with César Chávez and the United Farm Workers (UFW). Millions of people across North America boycotted grapes and other products. Now they are asked to help capture history through a unique interactive web site, www.ufwstories.com, the union is

Groups demand an end to ICE�s rogue tactics

Amid calls for transparency and accountability, ICE first denied the new tactics and then confirmed their existence. Earlier this week, community and faith groups gathered at the for-profit GEO detention center in Aurora to detail a pattern of misinformation and ICE tactics in direct conflict with

Tucson schools seize Chicano, Native books from classrooms

High school students from the now-forbidden Mexican American Studies classes in Tucson spoke out during Martin Luther King Day on Monday, protesting the school board and state of Arizona's decision to ban their classes and their culture. Describing the seizure of books from his classrooms, one

Will Migrants matter in the Mexican election?

The clock is ticking as the registration deadline fast approaches for Mexican expatriates to vote in their country of origin�s presidential election this year. Although Mexican election officials are confident a late rush of applications will mean greater absentee participation than in the 2006

Meditating on the Maya Calendar for 2012

Editor�s Note: As 2011 comes to an end, many are confused about the coming of 2012; there are several theories regarding the drama surrounding the new year. José Arguelles was an individual who spent decades researching the Maya calendar and its� intended message, none of which include the ending of

Passion, persistence fuels educational alternative

Upon seeing that the youth in their community were being grossly underserved and undereducated, two sisters, Claudia and Angelica Rodríguez decided they needed to take action and do something about it. The sisters sought out alternative education and found Hope Online, an online learning academy

Three day run to honor victims of 1864 Sand Creek

The 13th Annual Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run begins on Thursday, Nov. 24, at the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site near Eads in southeastern Colorado, and ends on Saturday, Nov. 26 on the western facing steps of the State Capitol in Denver. The three-day run and all attendant

Shocking abuses by US Border Patrol agents revealed

The rampant abuse by US Border Patrol agents is documented in a new report, �A Culture of Cruelty: Abuse and Impunity in Short-Term US Border Patrol Custody,� by the Tucson-based humanitarian organization No More Deaths. The report reveals that US Border Patrol agents are out of control and acting

Straight From My Heart: Love made edible

The green chile harvest continues -- up and down the streets of Federal Blvd. the chile tents are lined up everywhere. My favorite green chile is New México�s Big Jim, first introduced to me by Candy Ortega at Nick's Garden Center in Aurora, several years ago. Denver is home to a notable family

�We will continue the fight because it�s a good fight�

Richard Chávez could have stayed home June 24th, but that was not his way. Despite fighting a tough cold, the brother of the late César Chávez traveled some 250 miles from his home in Keene, Kern County, to Sacramento that day to join an epic vigil by farm workers at the State Capitol. The

Protest draws attention to banks wealth, people�s misery

�What�s going on here,� asked a customer leaving Wells Fargo bank, as protestors arrived at the Aurora branch last Friday. Organizers explained to her that it was a National Day of Action to protest Wells Fargo and other national banks investments into private immigrant detention centers and

Family love is key in supporting LGBTQ children

For over three decades, the LGBTQ community in Denver has produced what has become one of the nation�s largest Pride celebrations. The two-day event presented a variety of family events, entertainment, food and the massive parade last Sunday. It was estimated that over 300,000 people supported and

Denver�s election celebrations

Depite the low participation by Denver voters in Tuesday�s election, some candidates fared extremely well in their bid for election. Hundreds gathered Tuesday night at Rosalinda�s Mexican Restaurant, to celebrate Denver City At Large winner Debbie Ortega who garnered 46,846 votes. Supporters noted

James Mejia set to elevate the City of Denver

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to interview Denver mayoral candidate James Mejia and have followed his campaign trail from the sidelines. His message and vision have never wavered. Mejia�s supporters praise his ability to gracefully handle the issues and be forthright in his solutions, and

In the Name of the Fathers: The Priests of Juarez

JUAREZ, Chihuahua, Mex.�Father Isidro Payan was saying mass for a group of children on a Sunday morning, one week before Lent, when he was approached by his deacon, who informed him that a 28-year-old man had been executed outside the church, less than 25 yards away. The mother of the victim was

�What kind of Church is this?�

Editor�s Note: The controversy surrounding the Mural at Our Lady of Guadalupe has many stunned by the actions of the Parish priests, as well as the inaction of the Archdiocese. In the latest development, the Archdiocese does not want the Denver Police Dept. to investigate the vandalized mural, which

Human rights crisis in Puerto Rico needs attention

While the world celebrates the democratic revolution in Egypt, major violations of basic human rights are occurring in Puerto Rico. According to the American Civil Liberties Union in Puerto Rico, since Governor Luis Fortuño came into power two year ago, free speech has been under assault. The

Immigrant women: �Their suffering is invisible�

Undocumented women who are feeding the country with their labor routinely endure sexual harassment, wage theft and other abuses, according to a new report released last week by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The report � Injustice on Our Plates: Immigrant Women in the U.S. Food Industry �

Mexican Revolution of 1910: One familys journey

Its been a hundred years since the Mexican Revolution of 1910. What does this mean to me and thousands more like me who are Americans of Mexican decent? To me, it means getting back to the books I studied on Mexican and Chicano history while a student at the University of Colorado at Denver. What

UFW challenges US citizens to take farm jobs

With the majority of U.S. farm workers undocumented, the United Farm Workers UFW) is launching a national campaign challenging U.S. citizens and legal residents to replace immigrant field laborers. To survive, the agricultural industry would need at least half a million citizens or legal residents,

The Mothers of May: The Difficult Democratization of the Genocidal State in Brazil

"My son's name was Edison and he was 29 years old. He was killed on the streets. He just went home for some medicine and to put gas in his motorcycle. We lived in Baixada Santista, a working-class neighborhood in Sao Paulo. On May 15, the police followed him and killed him, 500 yards from the gas

Pregnant and Shackled: Hard Labor for Arizona's Immigrants

Miriam Mendiola-Martínez, an undocumented immigrant charged with using someone else’s identity to work, gave birth to a boy on Dec. 21, 2009 at Maricopa Medical Center in Arizona. After her C-section, she was shackled for two days to her hospital bed. She was not allowed to nurse her baby. And

Seven years later, Suárez family soldiers on

It’s been seven years since Fernando Suárez del Solar buried his son, Jesús. Seven years since March 27, 2003, when just one week into the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Lance Corporal Jesús Suárez del Solar stepped on a piece of unexploded ordnance and came home in a flag-draped coffin. When he died,

Friends expand on legacy of Jaime Escalante

The family of famed teacher Jaime Escalante, 79, announced that he passed away on March 30 at 2:27 pm. The cause of death was coronary and respiratory failure, precipitated by cancer.

A native of La Paz, Bolivia, and the son of two elementary-school teachers, Escalante came to América in 1963 at

Denver hosts 9th annual César Chávez celebration

The César Chávez Peace and Justice Committee began a tradition honoring the late leader in 2002. On Saturday, March 27, the Chávez commemoration will begin with a 10am Mass at St. Joseph’s Church (6th Ave.&Galapago). Immediately following the mass, a march will proceed to El Centro Su