Bella Vida by Letty

Seagulls at the #shore on a very bright hot sunny day....

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:00:05 -0400

Seagulls at the #shore on a very bright hot sunny day. #beautiful #florida #beaches #travel #bellavidabyletty

Truth, Opinions & Lies: How to Deal With Rumors

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:00:13 -0400

Truth, Opinions & Lies: How to Deal With Rumors

How Governments Threaten Press Freedom in Latin America

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:48:55 -0400

How Governments Threaten Press Freedom in Latin America:

http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/News/elected-governments-threaten-press-freedom-latin-america/story?id=19204522#.UZlx0IJAvBK

pbsthisdayinhistory: May 17, 1954: The Supreme Court Rules on...

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:38:11 -0400

pbsthisdayinhistory:

May 17, 1954: The Supreme Court Rules on Brown v. Board of Education

On this day in 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that racial segregation in public schools violated the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which says that no state may deny equal protection of the laws to any person within its jurisdiction.

Although the decision did not succeed in fully desegregating public education in the United States, it put the Constitution on the side of racial equality and galvanized the nascent civil rights movement into a full revolution.

Can you name all the key players behind Brown v. Board of Education? Revisit the landmark case with PBS’ The Supreme Court site.

You can also learn more about Brown v. Board of Education with “The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow” and explore more events of the Civil Rights Movement with PBS Black Culture Connection.

Photo: School integration, Barnard School, Washington, D.C., 1955 (Library of Congress).

It’s a #beautiful day #florida #shore #playa #travel...

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:21:36 -0400

It’s a #beautiful day #florida #shore #playa #travel #peace #bellavidabyletty

Feeling grateful #beautiful #florida #beaches #playa #travel...

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:41:01 -0400

Feeling grateful #beautiful #florida #beaches #playa #travel #instagram #bellavidabyletty #follow

Reading about Angelina Jolie’s proactive actions to...

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:00:06 -0400

Reading about Angelina Jolie’s proactive actions to minimize her risk of getting cancer made me think about what Latina’s can do to be proactive. Here are some tips and statistics. http://www.bellavidabyletty.com/latinas_and_cancer_statistics/

"On my endless speaking tour, people like to counter my comments with the inevitable, ‘Yeah, my..."

Sun, 12 May 2013 16:32:20 -0400

“On my endless speaking tour, people like to counter my comments with the inevitable, ‘Yeah, my family was immigrants, too, but we came here legally.’ And I ask, ‘Who stamped their visas, Crazy Horse or Geronimo?’”

- Luis Alberto Urrea, “Manifest Density.” (via utnereader)

Infographic from Center for American Progress: Where are U.S....

Fri, 10 May 2013 19:00:13 -0400

Infographic from Center for American Progress: Where are U.S. Women in 2013?

“If our population reflected our leadership, only 1 in 10 people in the United States would be women.”

larespuestamedia

Thu, 09 May 2013 16:48:21 -0400

larespuestamedia

Latino Rebels: Heroes and Colorism in America: Charles Ramsey Goes Viral

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:09:18 -0400

Latino Rebels: Heroes and Colorism in America: Charles Ramsey Goes Viral:

latinorebels:

HEROES AND COLORISM IN AMERICA: CHARLES RAMSEY GOES VIRAL

By now I’m sure you’ve seen the video interview of Charles Ramsey, a man being declared hero for rescuing three kidnapped Cleveland women missing for over a decade who were presumed dead. It’s not surprising such incredible news would go viral. It’s also not surprising one of the first few things to happen was the auto tuning of the interview to make it laughable therefore digestible, maybe even condescending. But we really shouldn’t dismiss the powerful statement Mr. Ramsey made.

“I knew something was wrong when a pretty little white girl ran into a black man’s arms. Something is wrong here. Dead giveaway!”

He’s right, something is really wrong here. You could see the discomfort in the reporters face and the slight change in his demeanor as he quickly wrapped up the interview. It’s the elephant in the room stemming from colonialism, 600 years of physical and emotional abuse rearing its ugly head, the practice of Colorism in society today. Unfortunately the reporters reaction to sweep the issue under the rug is common practice. No one wants to deal with prejudice in America for fear of being labeled racist. However, such an important issue should not be dismissed. The practice of Colorism needs to be discussed because its far reaching consequences are not very laughable.

Colorism

prejudice or discrimination in which human beings are accorded differing social treatment based on skin color; the phenomenon of lighter-skinned people discriminating against darker-skinned people within their own ethnic groups such as idealizing blonde hair and the whitest skin

Any idea that equality exists among all Americans in 2013 can be dispelled with statistics. In April of this year, Business Insider magazine featured 21 Maps Of Highly Segregated Cities In America naming Cleveland as one of them. As we look at these neighborhoods we must now factor in class. Poor people are vilified in the media and we see this translate into actual laws being implemented such as mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients. Laws like these do absolutely nothing to curb or treat drug abuse and prove to be a waste of state tax dollars as already demonstrated in Florida, where only 100 out of 4,000 came back positive.

When a group a people is vilified their humanity is taken away along with their respect as human individuals. One dangerous consequence is poor neighborhoods receive inadequate and unequal police protection. This report shows police protection is enjoyed discriminatively in wealthy areas. This study proposes the question: Might these women have been saved much sooner in a neighborhood which was not predominately Latino?

There are now new allegations surfacing that neighbors had made previous reports to the police about suspicious activity in that house but nothing was ever done.

One neighbor says a naked woman was seen crawling on her hands and knees in the backyard of the house a few years ago. Another heard pounding on the home’s doors and noticed plastic bags over the windows.

Both times, police showed up but never went inside, neighbors say. Police also paid a visit to the house in 2004, but no one answered the door.

A Cleveland police spokesman, old CNN that the department had no record of a 911 call reporting a naked woman at Castro’s address.

In yet another interview Ramsey stresses beyond his color or class, his Americaness as a common man who works for living. And that’s exactly how it should be.

“I don’t even want it,” Ramsey said of the attention. “They keep saying I’m a hero. Let me tell you something, I’m an American, and I’m a human being. I’m just like you. I work for a living. There was a woman in distress, so why turn your back on that?”

Charles Ramsey an American hero who stepped in to help when many others didn’t. Yet even as we celebrate Ramsey, local Cleveland media tried to defame him with news of previous convictions, as a Channel 5 story from last night tried to do. The reaction to that “news” from viewers was highly negative, so much so that Channel 5 had to take the story down from its Facebook site. Nonetheless, there is now a media narrative of the hero convict.

And that is just wrong. This country is strong BECAUSE of its diversity. Once we respect that as a whole society can begin to heal, moving forward as a stronger united nation.

What you can do: Change can happen with a collective of American citizen’s of every color, stand up for what is morally right taking responsibility for their country.

Stop supporting products and companies that are toxic to society by perpetuating negative stereotypes referring to any particular color as bad.

Demand equal and fair coverage on all media platforms. Do not permit people of color to continue being under-represented, negatively depicted and narrowly portrayed.

Stop voting for government officials who do not have your best interest in mind or support the eradication of cultural diversity.

Begin demanding accountability from government officials and everyone in positions of authority. Yes, people can make mistakes but being a better person means being able to correct them. If they cannot, another qualified person should be given the opportunity.

***

Bella Vida Letty is a regular contributor to LatinoRebels.com and one of the Original Rebeldes, having been with the group since the very beginning. Last year she was named one of the Most Powerful Latinas in Social Media by VOXXI. You can follow her on Twitter (@bellavidaletty) or read more about her on her blog, Bella Vida by Letty.

via LatinoRebels.com http://bit.ly/12gL8hD

quisqueyameetsborinken: Happy birthday, Andy Montañez! Andrés...

Tue, 07 May 2013 10:53:10 -0400

quisqueyameetsborinken:

Happy birthday, Andy Montañez!

Andrés Montañez (born May 7, 1942), better known as Andy Montañez, is a salsa singer from Puerto Rico.

Montañez, like singer Daniel Santos and boxer Ossie Ocasio, is a native of the Tras Talleres area of Santurce San Juan. He is known by the nicknames “El Godfather de la Salsa” and “El Niño De Trastalleres”. He is the first born out of 17 children.

Montañez first gained fame as a member of the internationally successful El Gran Combo group, with songs like “Hojas blancas” (White Leaves), “Un verano en N.Y.” (A Summer at NY), “El barbero loco” (The Crazy Barber), “Julia”, “Ponme el alcoholado, Juana” (Rub Me With Alcohol), “Vagabundo” (Bum), “El Swing”, etc. He stayed for approximately 15 years, producing 37 LP’s. He left El Gran Combo to pursue a career with Venezuelan group La Dimension Latina. Creating a feud between the two groups. After leaving El Gran Combo, he enjoyed considerable success on an international scale with his own orchestra, touring Latin America and the United States several times. He represented Puerto Rico at the 1992 World’s Fair in Seville, Spain.

In recent years he had teamed up with fellow salsa singer Ismael Miranda to produce some boleros and bohemian music. By 2005-06 he began creating a new blend between salsa and reggaeton, called salsaton, along with rappers like Daddy Yankee and Julio Voltio. In 2007 he filmed various television advertisements on nutrition for the Puerto Rico Department of Family Affairs (including one in which he sang a rhumba to a dancing carrot).

On November 2, 2006, Montañez won his first Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Album, together with Pablo Milanés. Montañez was selected to form part of a beneficial concert titled “Somos Haití”., where funds would be gathered to support Haiti after the 2008 hurricane season.

Two of Montañez’s sons, Andy Jr. and Harold, have also gone on to become salsa singers and occasionally serve as back-up vocalists in his concerts.

Brand new launch! BellaVidaByLetty.com If you want to support...

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:00:06 -0400

Brand new launch! BellaVidaByLetty.com

If you want to support subscribe.

Child of a fisherman in the small fishing village...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:00:14 -0400

Child of a fisherman in the small fishing village of Puerto Real, Puerto Rico.

Delano, Jack, photographer.

CREATED/PUBLISHED
1942 Jan.

Children’s day at a P.R.R.A. (Puerto Rico Resettlement...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:00:22 -0400

Children’s day at a P.R.R.A. (Puerto Rico Resettlement Administration) health center. San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Rosskam, Edwin, 1903- photographer.

CREATED/PUBLISHED
1938 Jan.

Boys eating sugarcane in the small fishing village...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:00:22 -0400

Boys eating sugarcane in the small fishing village of Puerto Real, Puerto Rico.

Delano, Jack, photographer.

CREATED/PUBLISHED
1942 Jan.

#Vintage #PuertoRico #photograph Members of P.R.R.A....

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 19:00:17 -0400

#Vintage #PuertoRico #photograph

Members of P.R.R.A. (Puerto Rico Resettlement Administration) needlework cooperative at work. San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Rosskam, Edwin, 1903- photographer.

CREATED/PUBLISHED
1938 Jan.

The Catacombs in cemetery, San Juan, P.R. Detroit Publishing...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:00:12 -0400

The Catacombs in cemetery, San Juan, P.R.
Detroit Publishing Co. , publisher
Date Created/Published: c[1906]

Long trail of #seashells along the #shore #beautiful #florida...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:02:26 -0400

Long trail of #seashells along the #shore #beautiful #florida #beach #travel #straightoutofthecamera #bellavidabyletty

Bella Vida by Letty

Seagulls at the #shore on a very bright hot sunny day....

Truth, Opinions & Lies: How to Deal With Rumors

Truth, Opinions & Lies: How to Deal With Rumors

How Governments Threaten Press Freedom in Latin America

pbsthisdayinhistory: May 17, 1954: The Supreme Court Rules on...

It’s a #beautiful day #florida #shore #playa #travel...

READ MORE Hispanic/Latino women have the highest cervical cancer...

Feeling grateful #beautiful #florida #beaches #playa #travel...

Reading about Angelina Jolie’s proactive actions to...

"On my endless speaking tour, people like to counter my comments with the inevitable, ‘Yeah, my..."

Infographic from Center for American Progress: Where are U.S....

larespuestamedia

Latino Rebels: Heroes and Colorism in America: Charles Ramsey Goes Viral

quisqueyameetsborinken: Happy birthday, Andy Montañez! Andrés...

Brand new launch! BellaVidaByLetty.com If you want to support...

Child of a fisherman in the small fishing village...

Children’s day at a P.R.R.A. (Puerto Rico Resettlement...

Boys eating sugarcane in the small fishing village...

#Vintage #PuertoRico #photograph Members of P.R.R.A....

The Catacombs in cemetery, San Juan, P.R. Detroit Publishing...

Long trail of #seashells along the #shore #beautiful #florida...