The Manhattan Times

 Dentro de poco, ¿estarán celebrando juntos? Quizás un cumpleaños, un bautizo, una fiesta de quinceañera o las Navidades. La familia se reúne para festejar y celebrar, y se crean oportunidades donde los abuelos ven a sus nietos. La mayoría de los abuelos aprovecha cualquier oportunidad para pasar tiempo con sus nietos. Estas visitas son una gran alegría que pocos abuelos dejan pasar, especialmente cuando no viven cerca.

Una encuesta de AARP publicada recientemente brinda perspectivas sobre el papel que juegan los abuelos de 50 años o más en las vidas de sus nietos.

I had a conversation with a friend who is overworked, exhausted and losing herself in her dedication to the cancer patients she serves, an honorable justification for sure. She admitted to me that she no longer lives in her home as she only "visits" on the weekends. Instead she stays in her mother's apartment, which is within walking distance from her job. This single mom has even taken a semester off of school, a decision she made to further her career but has had no choice but to stop in order to meet the demands of her position. The most shocking part of our discussion was when she emotionally expressed how she gets home so late at times that she is often cranky and does not have the opportunity to put her little girl to sleep, then rushes her to get everything done in the morning.

Maria and Mariany

Among other services, many after school programs provide homework help, counseling, arts and tutoring.

Many parents cannot imagine what they'll do without the academic support provided.

Maria Paulino used to keep her daughter with her in the salon she works in on West 182nd Street.

But she found it uncomfortable for 6-year-old Mariany Ortiz to sit in the salon, listening to adult conversations and falling asleep in styling chairs.

When she enrolled her in Alianza Dominicana's afterschool program at Juan Pablo Duarte Elementary School she found her daughter excelled academically.

"She has grown so much, and I am a lot more at peace because before I would have to have her here from 3pm to 8pm," said Paulino. "This program is so important because they help her with her homework, which we used to do at home really late."

Paulino says she is concerned about returning her daughter back to the salon, and cheers the work done at Alianza.

"Now she does her homework there, and she comes home to tell me about her dancing, and her friends," added Paulino "It's a priceless program for my family."

Assemblymember Guillermo Linares announces candidacy for State Senate

This past Sun., May 6th, New York State Assemblymember Guillermo Linares announced his candidacy for the 31st State Senate seat. It is presently occupied by Sen. Adriano Espaillat, who is running against incumbent Congressman Charles B. Rangel for the newly created 13th Congressional district.

In a statement released over the weekend, Assemblymember Linares spoke to wanting to press forward with legislation that the State Senate often plays a decisive role in either blocking or advancing.

A key factor in his decision, he explained, was the New York Dream Act.

"Today, no battle is more important to me," said Linares, who has served as New York City's Immigrant Affairs Commissioner, "than the fight to make a college education possible for all immigrant children by passing the Dream Act in New York."

"Whether the Dream Act passes this year or not—and I'm still very hopeful that it will—the need for strong voices in the State Senate for immigrant rights and aspirations has never been greater," he added.

"These cuts represent a disregard for our children," said Angelo Ortiz, of Inwood Community Services. "I've never seen cuts like this in my entire life. This is not a game."

Directly after the Mayor unveiled his executive budget this past Thurs., May 3rd, which revealed major cuts for Out of School (OST) and after-school programs, the steps of City Hall were flooded with northern Manhattan after-school providers, staff, advocates and parents, and elected officials protesting what some have termed "draconian" and "unimaginable."

"I've been in this field for 20 years and have never seen the likes of this," said Angelo Ortiz, LCSW-R, Unit Director of Inwood Community Services, Inc./ UNIDOS Coalition Coordinator.

Las organizaciones comunales locales se han galvanizado; aquí representantes se reúnen sobre estrategia.

Inmediatamente después que el Alcalde Michael Bloomberg dio a conocer su presupuesto ejecutivo este pasado jueves, 3 de mayo, el cual reveló grandes recortes para los programas fuera de la escuela (OST) y los programas después de la escuela, los escalones de City Hall fueron inundados con proveedores de programas, personal, defensores y padres de familia y funcionarios electos del norte de Manhattan que protestaban contra lo que algunos han llamado "draconiano" e "inimaginable."

"He estado en este campo durante 20 años y nunca he visto nada como esto", dijo Angelo Ortiz, LCSW-R, Director de la Unidad de Inwood Community Services, Inc. / Coordinador de la Coalición UNIDOS.

Sen. Espaillat was endorsed by former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer in his bid for Congress against Rep. Charles B. Rangel.

New York State Senator Adriano Espaillat, who is challenging U.S. Congressman Charles B. Rangel to become the first Dominican-American to serve in Congress, received the endorsement of a former elected official who knows about historic campaigns: former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer.

Ferrer, a lifelong Bronx resident who served as Borough President from 1981 to 2001 of the county that will now be included in the newly created 13th Congressional district, was the mayoral hopeful in 2001 against then-incumbent Mayor Rudolph Guiliani and again in 2005 against Michael Bloomberg.

"I am very happy to be here with the next Congressman Adriano Espaillat," Ferrer said on the steps of City Hall this past Mon., May 7th.

"Estoy orgulloso de apoyar a Adriano porque el Congreso, dijo el ex-presidente del Bronx Fernando Ferrer.       CREDITO: Vivian Nuñez

El senador estatal Nueva York, Adriano Espaillat, quien está desafiando el congresista Charles B. Rangel para convertirse en el primer dominicano-americano para servir en el Congreso, recibió el respaldo de un funcionario electo que sabe acerca de las campañas históricas: el ex presidente del Bronx Fernando Ferrer.

Ferrer, un residente del Bronx de toda la vida que se desempeñó como presidente del condado desde 1981 hasta 2001 del condadoque ahora se incluye en el recién creado distrito congresional 13, fue el aspirante a alcalde en 2001 contra el entonces alcalde Rudolph Giuliani y nuevamente en el 2005 contra Michael Bloomberg.

Mama and her granddaughter on an outing.

I am struggling.

And my opponent, fierce in composure and methodical in presentation, is keenly aware of this.

She pounces.

"Just a few more minutes," she announces.

I sigh, barely managing to acknowledge defeat before she pumps her fist in the air with girlish delight.

But she is 6, and such victories are, rightfully, cause for joy.

 Estoy luchando.

Y mi oponente, feroz en compostura y metódica en la presentación, es consciente de esto. Ella se abalanza.

"Unos minutos más," ella anuncia.

Suspiro, y apenas he llegado a reconocer la derrota antes de que ella lance su puño en el aire con deleite aniñado.

Pero ella tiene 6 años, y estas victorias son, legítimamente, motivo de alegría.

Ella ha ganado unos minutos más de tiempo en pantalla con 'The Fresh Beat Band', cuya afinidad por la música y la amistad son ligadas, y para quienes no albergo ninguna objeción. Kiki y Marina, Shout y Twist son precisamente el tipo de afables jóvenes quienes me gusta que a mi hija le guste.