All posts by media@universidadpopular.us

Universidad Popular Announces BASSET Certification!

Marketing Poster 1Universidad Popular has been working on a campaign that promotes healthy communities–encouraging drug-free youth and  parental awareness about underage drinking among the residents in little village. A series of marketing materials have been dispersed around the neighborhood to raise public awareness. The materials are intended to get parents’ attention and spark discussion with their kids about the negative consequences of alcohol use without using fear as a motivator.

Marketing Poster 5

Apart from the marketing campaign targeting youth and parents, Universidad Popular is also leading efforts to educate the business and service industry in proper protocol regarding alcohol service policies that are meant to prevent youth consumption and reduce consumption abuse by community members.

Marcela Espinoza and Edgar Montelongo will be training servers and employees that work and serve liquor in community of Little Village.  Despite being a requirement for every employee in the establishment serving liquor to to be certified, Universidad Popular wants to make sure our community is not serving minors and is educated on what to do when serving alcohol to adults

The new BASSET law takes effect on July 1, 2015 requiring all on-premise alcohol servers and bouncers in Cook County to attend BASSET, and for ALL Illinois BASSET cardholders to renew their certification every three years.

Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training (BASSET) is the State of Illinois’ responsible beverage seller/server program. Under the licensing and regulatory auspices of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, BASSET is designed to encourage profitable, responsible, and legal alcohol sales and service.

Link to BASSET Sign-in

The goals and objectives of the BASSET Program are:

Train and educate sellers and servers to engage in responsible alcohol service;
Spot signs of intoxication and utilize various intervention techniques;
Prevent DUIs and alcohol-related fatalities;
Stop underage sales and underage drinking;
Create safer communities and establishments where alcohol is served;
Educate owners, managers and staff on dram shop insurance, state laws, and local ordinances regarding alcohol service.

If you would like to sign up for our training. Click here!

If you have further questions, feel free reach Marcela or Edgar at (773) 733-5055

 

 

A call to action!

By now you’ve probably heard that Governor Rauner has cut $26 million from the Illinois Department of Human Services for Fiscal Year 2016, terminating funding for 22 critical programs, like Teen REACH, that supports thousands of Illinois residents every year.

This is devastating news.

Universidad Popular became one of hundreds of organizations across the state last week who received notice that some of our services will no longer be funded, and we would need to return any funding we had not already spent. So this June, after six years of providing access five days a week to a safe space, caring adults, academic support, and civic engagement, our year-round youth development program, UPrising, will be forced to close its doors to dozens of local youth who rely on us for daily opportunities for social and emotional growth.

You can help.

We are asking our supporters to partner with us to make sure UPrising can continue to serve vulnerable youth in our community. There are two ways you can make a difference:

• Contact your elected officials and tell them to demand Governor Rauner restore funding to Teen REACH, keeping free after-school programming available to our families.
• Donate to Universidad Popular by visiting us at www.universidadopular.us and clicking on DONATE or sending a check, written to Universidad Popular, to our main office at 2801 S. Hamlin Ave., Chicago, IL 60623.

We hope we can count on you, because only together can we continue to work with youth to build a better community for everyone.

Digital Literacy Storytelling Series: Cruzando Fronteras

As a part of our Digital Literacy Program, the following writings and posts are the product of our participants in our Photoshop classes in the evening.  They created photos using the program Photoshop to illustrate a story of themselves, their experiences, and their aspirations. These post were designed, organized and written by them to demonstrate what they have learned in the Digital Literacy Program along with stories of their choosing.

Cuando Crucé la Frontera

imagesQTCESC3M

En esta ocasión me da mucho gusto relatar parte de mi pasado cuando cruce la frontera hace 13 años.

imagesF1GBZXCH

Fue por ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, como a las tres de la mañana cruzamos el rio grande.  Éramos como unas once personas pero yo venía con dos amigos de mi pueblo. Nos quitamos parte de nuestra ropa y la llevábamos en la mano. Fue muy riesgoso pues cada vez que pisábamos la arena se hundía y sentía que me llevaba el agua. Pero uno de mis amigos me rescataba que no me llevara la corriente. Al final cruzamos el río y nos escondimos en una zanja grande.

Nos quedamos esperando el coyote como hora y media y al fin llego nos metimos en la cajuela de dos carros. Logramos burlar la migra y nos trajeron hasta Chicago. Cada tres horas nos checaban dentro de la cajuela a ver que no nos ahogáramos. Fue muy riesgoso.mqdefaultUMCFRLGX

Cuando ya llegamos aquí, fue decepcionante, creí que Chicago era diferente. En ese mismo momento me quería regresar, pero con muchos sacrificios encontré trabajo y me fui acostumbrando. Con el tiempo me fui enamorando de esta ciudad y ahora la ciudad es como mi casa–aunque un poco solo pues no tengo suerte para los amigos.imagesCTZECU5X

Ahora la Universidad Popular es parte de mi familia para no sentirme tan solo. Pues  uno de mis amigos murió aquí y el otro se regresó a México y  yo estoy tratando de ser feliz.   

 Salvador Hernandez


El Sueño de Estar en Estados Unidos

downloadNo tengo ni idea ni quiero empezar es una tristeza todo lo que pasan todos los que queremos aquí estar traemos  muchas ilusiones sin saber cómo nos irá.  Dejamos  todo para venir a superarnos sin saber si algún día podremos volver para atrás.

Inmigrantes-latinos-en-Estados-Unidos-de-AmericaEn el tiempo que acá estamos desgracias pasan y ni como de volvernos  pues después ya no podemos regresar. Pasa n los años, crecen los hijos, ya no quieren regresar decimos; ya no nos vamos; ¿cómo vamos a separar la familia sin pensar que desde que nos venimos todo perdimos? Por el disque gran sueño de estar en los Estados Unidos

           Andrea Falcón Frayre

 

Some Thoughts on Valentine’s Day

The following is a brief reflection by Universidad Popular’s own Elio DeArrudah. We invite you to join in the conversation and give your own thoughts on this issue. 

About the “Day” of Love or Friendship

 Apparently, it all began when “primitive” tribes living in harmony with mother nature would  get ready to celebrate, year after year, the resurrection of life again or springtime on earth. In fact, that is what februarius was all about — the month of cleaning/fertility/pregnancy, which in the northern hemisphere, typically precedes the explosion of life all around. Interestingly, this was the time chosen by ancient Romans to pay homage to the birth of Rome or its founders.

About a millennium later (when Rome had finally become the “center” of the known universe and even Christianized itself ), the local authorities decided to don this  pagan   observance or ritual with a Catholic facade under the name of Saint Valentine’s Day.

Supposedly there had been this priest, Valentinius, determined to breach the Roman emperor’s ordinance against marrying young men  as a strategy to disarm the empire. Once married and with wife and kids, these young fellows were no longer materials any good for soldiering and marauding wars. Unapproving of (unjust ) wars, this priest was determined to subvert them all by marrying as many people as he could. Caught in the act of wedding young couples, Valentinius was hanged by the emperor’s people to pay for such a horrendous crime. Killing him that mid-February was their way to “clean” the City. As time went by, however, the hoi polloi began seen the  murdered priest as  the  true patron of love and friendship.

***

Since most celebrations  are dictated by State or the Church, it would be  a good strategy for critical thinking skills developers in our agencies to look at the history behind these celebrations, when both those institutions were not as dictatorial as they have become. Empires, whether Roman or Ottoman, British or American, have always loved to bully the rest of the world which explains their tendency to glamorize wars, idolize generals and worship soldiers while demonizing whoever dares to resist their moves to control and dominate them. In that sense, Valentinius the priest was no different than Martin Luther King the reverend–they both preached love and peace instead of war and hate.

While it is so easy for us to talk about this priest’s fight against the empire of his days many centuries ago, we seem not to realize that right now our  government and media celebrate wars along  with their massive killings, drones, undercover commandos and so on. Afterwards, we welcome these killers of ours as heroes deserving of our adulation and unconditional love. How can we celebrate Martin Luther King’s day or St Valentine’s day when we remain mute about (or, even worse, condone on what the preachers of hate in our mix aided by our  war mongering media) all the killings that our empire is currently doing overseas?! If we are serious enough about St Valentinius’s work or mission, shouldn’t we be preaching friendship and love all around?

American Sniper grossed over $284,752,955 More than six times the earnings of Selma (Martin Luther King-inspired movie)

 Actually, it was fascinating to see how Hollywood  launched a movie production highly celebratory of a sharp shooter responsible for  almost 200 killings in two far-away countries —Iraq and Afghanistan—that we chose to invade in the aftermath of  September 11,2001 even when none of  the 19 hijackers that wacked the twin towers were Iraqis or Afghanistanis.

The American Sniper, a powerful hosanna to one of the most lethal killers that this country ever produced, grossed over $100 millions in revenue in the very week end that we celebrated the MLK. This weird coincidence gives a pretty good sense of how messed up our values systems seem to be. This sharp shooter of about 200 people did not have, like youngsters in most countries do, to join the armed forces: He volunteered to “serve” the invading troops to  these countries that the US-led military forces wrecked for generations to come. Not surprisingly, many of those that live by the gun end up dying by the gun, as it was sadly his case.

We should stop celebrating one thing while doing precisely the opposite of it. It confuses our children and it needlessly turns the rest of the world against us. Even worse, we hurt ourselves, our economy and whatever little is still left of our moral authority. Moreover, there is never any justification for bullying anybody especially when we can embrace the love or befriending pathways toward a much more peaceful coexistence in this world.

Volunteer Voices Series: Ouamar Benikene

This essay is published in our quarterly publication: ¡Escucha! which can be found online here: http://www.universidadpopular.us/escucha/fallwinter2014/#/0

An International ExperienceIMG_0251

 

During his visit last Spring to Universidad Popular, Dr George Palamattam, the executive director of the Chicago chapter of the Council of International Programs USA, was so impressed with UPrising’s performance that he proposed to us the idea of hosting someone from another country just as passionate as our facilitators about the role of sport in turning around youth lives. After a quick examination on this venue, Dr Palamattam suggested that Uprising consider Ouamar Benikene, a non-traditionall education practitioner that resorted to sport to engage youth in Les Ulis, a multicultural suburb located about 12 miles southwest of downtown Paris, France, for a cultural exchange. Just as our youth facilitators in Little Village, who work with children from immigrants to this country, Ouamar works with French-born children whose parents are still socially and culturally attached to their countries of origin or birth.

Ouamar arrived in Chicago September 6th, and immediately got himself in the swing of things with our UPrising team. Gradually, a strong work relationship was in place for the delight of the staff and participants alike. With our softball team, he help developed a curriculum and weekly lesson plans to help the team have a successful season. Our cooking class was co-facilitated by Ouamar, he shared some of his personal and famous recipes from France, such as crumble aux pommes and fettuccine alfredo. He was also fully invested is our cultural table activity where he shared many of his personal, cultural and traditional experiences. He also shared some of the hardships that people in France have to overcome to be accepted in society. Thanks to Ouamar, our youth realized that although we come from different places, we face the same struggles.

IMG_0011In our all staff meetings and community meetings, he shared ideas that analyzed and highlighted possible problems. Not only was he critical, but he was able to implement activities and necessary assessments to help facilitate a better program. Ouamar was a great help to the Uprising Youth Program during his time in Chicago. Universidad Popular is grateful for his time and the expertise he was able to share with us. Hopefully, we can repeat this kind of exchange more often between Paris’s southwest Les Ulis and Chicago’s southwest Little Village.

You can also be a part of the solution also! Multiple volunteer and internship opportunities are available at Universidad Popular. For more information e-mail us at volunteer@universidadpopular.us, call at 773-733-5055 or fill out our online form here: http://tinyurl.com/volunteer-up

UP’s Knitting Group – Now on THURSDAYS!

IMG_1758Last year for International Women’s Day, the English classes put on an IMG_1765exhibition of women’s talents to highlight the women that are part of the program.

Maria Serrato brought many knit items to show and shared a little bit of her history, how she learned to knit, and her micro-business of selling hats and scarves that she makes herself.
From there, Maria decided to form a group to share her skills with others. Since then, the group has been
meeting once a week after the morning English classes. Some people have come to learn knitting for the first time, and many come to knit new projects, learn a few new stitches, and enjoy spending time and sharing stories with other women in the IMG_1757neighborhood.IMG_1755

This year, the group meetings have been moved to Thursdays from 12:00-1:00. We are trying to do more projects together, and are starting with a simple hat. All are welcome to join!

 

 

Volunteer Voices Series: Ana Karen

Ana Karen Manjarrez interned with Universidad Popular from the Summer of 2014 to December of the same year. She had the opportunity to participate in almost all aspects of our organizations. This essay-reflection from her is published in our quarterly publication: ¡Escucha! which can be found online here: http://www.universidadpopular.us/escucha/fallwinter2014/#/0

An Internship to Remember

 

Ana Karen also helped facilitate an English Language Learning class.
Ana Karen also helped facilitate an English Language Learning class.

When I began doing research on nonprofits to  work with as part of my six-month field study, I knew that I wanted to intern somewhere that I felt passionate about the work that was being done.

This made  my researching difficult. After hours, days, and months of looking, I found Universidad Popular. ‘Till this day when people ask me how I found Universidad Popular I answer that it was meant to be: I had a feeling that this organization was the one that I needed to be with. Universidad Popular’s mission, strategy,and programs made me feel an instant connection with the work and population of Little Village. I wanted to intern with them, so I was set on contacting UP and moving to Chicago. After getting the OK to intern with Universidad Popular I began researching more Chicago, La Villita, and UP, to be prepared for when I would arrive. No matter how much research or books I read to get me familiarized with Chicago or UP, nothing would not prepare me enough for what I was about to experience.

Initially I was nervous and scared of Chicago because I wasn’t told the most positive things about it. Regardless of the bad press I got from other people, I knew I had to experience it on my own so when I flew into Chicago I was ready for my journey to begin. My first day at Universidad Popular was great! I felt like people were really kind and open to me being there and welcoming me to the organization. After a couple of weeks at UP, shadowing many programs, I decided to be more involved with the programs LETOS and UPrising. In UPrising, I found myself connecting with youth at a crucial time in their lives when they are exploring their identities and learning about themselves and life. I learned a lot from my interactions and conversations with the youth in the program and I thank them for their involvement because, whether they know it or not, they are youth leaders in La Villita. Being a facilitator for the LETOS summer session and the end of Fall was also an honor for me because I got to meet and facilitate a class to community members that are developing their English skills to interact with people at their jobs, their families, and even people that they might not know but interact with at a store, the doctor or during an emergency. I learned from them and felt like they were welcoming and patient with me as this was my first time facilitating a class.

Ana Karen tutored Little Village youth with their homework--spanning topics from history to culture and mathematics.
Ana Karen tutored Little Village youth with their homework–spanning topics from history to culture and mathematics.

Not only did I work with these programs, but I was also involved in attending meeting relating to Universidad Popular and got to learn more about La Villita by interacting with other organizations that work with UP. I learned a lot from the way that Universidad Popular works with one another, the community and Chicago. To put my experience in perspective I think that Universidad Popular’s     existance is a great benefit to La Villita because it shows how there needs to be more centers, resources, and visibility for the growing Latino population in the United States. I am grateful to have worked with the organization and the people that I met during my six months here, and I hope that my presence here served to show that Universidad Popular can travel to other states and serve as an example of how an organization can work with, by, and for the people.

 You can also be a part of the solution also! Multiple volunteer and internship opportunities are available at Universidad Popular. For more information e-mail us at volunteer@universidadpopular.us, call at 773-733-5055 or fill out our online form here: http://tinyurl.com/volunteer-up

Give on #GivingTuesday December 2nd, #ILGiveBig

This coming #GivingTuesday December 2nd 2014, Universidad Popular will be participating in the #ILGiveBig campaign.

What is #ILGiveBig? 

ILgivesbig

It’s the #GivingTuesday Illinois campaign, a statewide social media movement dedicated to giving. Giving Tuesday allows consumers the opportunity to give to the charities and issues they care about. Right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #ILGiveBig’s goal is $12 million raised by Illinois organizations from 100,000 donors on this single day.

Why are we participating?

Universidad Popular’s mission is to reach community empowerment through participatory learning. We work in partnership with community residents and organizations to transform their lives and, ultimately, the community. To be able to implement our mission, we employ over 150 community residents and committed individuals throughout the year. Over 90% of our employees are residents of our primary Latino communities: Little Village/South Lawndale and West Lawn/Chicago Lawn. In collaboration with our dedicated volunteers, they help us implement over 8 year-round programs, countless seasonal projects, and commmunity-focused social campaigns. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee year-round employment to everyone due to our dependence on seasonal funding–forcing us to reduce our employment numbers by 5/8’s.

We desire to be independent from the uncertainty of grant funding cycles and want to carry out our mission while being able to support these dedicated community residents on a year-round basis.

What can I do?

  • Donate to Universidad Popular and be a part of the #ILGiveBig movement this December 2nd on #GivingTuesday!
  • Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Share, re-tweet, and re-gram #UPLatinCenter to bring attention to our initiatives.
  • Spread the word to everyone you know!
  • Volunteer!

 

uplogo-small(2)

Sanación Colectiva: Hierbas para la Mujer

hierbas medicinales para las mujeres flyer

En los Sábados 8 y 22 de Noviembre las mujeres de la Villita, junto a Jacoba–voluntaria de Universidad Popular–han juntado sus sabidurías para expandir la conversación sobre la sanación colectiva. Han estado revisando como, a traves de la milenia, la humanidad y especialmente las mujeres han recolectado conocimiento y recaudado medicinas que la tierra misma provee para sanarnos de muchos malestares comúnes.

Con un enfoque en la salud de la mujer, han estudiado y debatido el desligamiento de las sabidurias ancestrales con la medicina actual. Re-visitando los consejos de sus madres, o abuelas, estas mujeres ahora están creando un compendio de sanación natural basado en la sabiduría de las mujeres mismas que ha sido reenforzado por varios estudios científicos que se han encomendado a “descubrir” este conocimiento antiguo. El producto final de este compendio será un libro que esperan poder publicar autónomamente a finales de este año. Avisaremos por este mismo medio del mismo, y estará disponible para lectura en las oficinas centrales de Universidad Popular en la Villita, Chicago.

Incluímos aquí la presentación Powerpoint (en formato PDF) que se creó basada en una encuesta sobre métodos ancestrales de sanación que se usó para facilitar las conversaciones:

Sanacion Colectiva Hierbas para la mujer Universidad Popular Nov 8 2014

La Villita and Ayotzinapa: Universidad Popular Participants Share Their Thoughts

Outline of the City of Chicago in the State of Guerrero
Outline of the City of Chicago in the State of Guerrero

Little Village is the second largest Latino community in the United States. Many of us came to the United States looking for something “better,” something that Mexico could not offer to us or our families. Yet, our hearts and minds are constantly crossing “the border.” Although many of us often face the heart-wrenching realization that we cannot be physically with those we love, we know that our destinies are always tied. What happens in Mexico reverberates around the world through all Mexicans and through all of us who work to create a better world, just as the 43 of Ayotzinapa have worked for.

The choices we make here impact our brothers and sisters in Mexico. Their situation is our situation. That is a bridge across the border that no matter how high a wall, how repressive a government, how obscure the law, will never be taken down. This, in the end, is the nature of diaspora: reciprocity. And the goal? To succeed alongside those we love, to overcome barriers, to fall and rise together–regardless of where they are.

The following are short reflection pieces about the current situation in Mexico by several participants from our morning English Literacy Classes in our Learning TO Succeed (LETOS) Program. These individuals are residents of La Villita. Regardless of their place of origin, they feel and have a connection with Mexico that makes these recent events affect their lives here.

LETOS participants sharing what they wrote with their peers.
LETOS participants sharing what they wrote with their peers.

 

We asked a simple, broad, yet, contentious question:

How do you feel about the current situation in Mexico?

These are their answers.

Hello, My name is Rosalina.

I feel angry about the current situation in México because I want a peaceful and beautiful México. I can’t believe what the Mexican government is doing to our people. I hope that it’s not true what they say. I hope these students are still alive.

Hello, My name is Guadalupe Martinez.

I am sharing my opinion regarding what is happening Mexico. I feel sad for the 43 students and their families. I think that Peña Nieto should resign because his government is corrupt and every day I hear more and more deaths are happening. I think that this should stop because it is very sad to hear this. Corruption is in the Mexican government. Although there is corruption, México will always be a very, very nice country.

IMAG2546_1

My name is Victor,

I would like to talk about the 43 students that were massacred in Mexico. It isn’t just regarding the 43 students, it is concerning Mexican history, a bloody history. This event made us remember the largest students massacre in Latin America. I’m talking about Tlatelolco, October 2nd, 1968, at plaza de las tres culturas. Since this date until now, for students, it’s a sensitive topic. Everyone who is young is revolutionary, and the students have memory. This isn’t just about the 43 murders, this is about repression.

My name is Rosa Gamez,

The boys were captured in Cocula, Guerrero. I’m feeling very impotent because of this event. The Mexican police force is intolerant. The government should have people who are professional in all aspects working as police.The teachers are there to help students become better persons. I would like to send the student’s parents hugs and I hope they find their children soon. God bless them.

Hello, My name is Yazmin Mendoza.

43 students in Mexico fought for liberty and respect. The family and friends of these 43 are still fighting for them to return alive, and the president Enrique Peña Nieto doesn’t do anything to fix this problem. Everyone must fight for Mexico to become free. We should all fight to free Mexico from all this corruption.

I am Salvador. This is what I think about this issue:

It’s really bad. I feel sorry for their families and I don’t understand why the government doesn’t do anything. I am tired of hearing every day on the news what I know are just lies from the Mexican government.

AyotzinapaVivosLos43