(Hartford) – The Connecticut Institute for Community Development Puerto Rican Parade Inc. (CICD) will host it’s first ever Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade and third annual Festival del Coqui on Sunday, June 6, 2010.
The Puerto Rican parade has been celebrated in Connecticut for the past 47 years, but this year’s parade will be the first hosted solely by the CICD. The goal of the new board of directors is to bring a different element to the parade by promoting cultural awareness in a more collaborative way.
“We are a new board that is trying to keep this beautiful cultural tradition alive by implementing different element such as the red carpet VIP area, celebrity hosts and cultural costumes and floats. “Throughout the years the parade has lost its cultural value and as such received negative publicity. This year it will be different” said Aura Alvarado, president of CICD.
Energy reform is the defining issue of the 2010 legislative session. Through reforming our energy industry, we can lower energy prices while growing our renewable sources of energy, experience long-term job growth and protect our environment. This is a call to action.
The issue and what’s at stake
Over the past 38 days, we’ve heard and seen the catastrophic events unfold in America’s gulf coast region. Clearly, we need to change the way we do energy in our country and our state. Most recently, Governor Rell ignored the voice of Connecticut’s citizens and turned her back on the state’s energy reform legislation by vetoing PA 10-97 (Senate Bill 493).
It is hard to swallow that in a state where electricity bills are second highest in the nation (Hawaii is the highest), Governor Rell ignores a united voice of the citizens and sides with the voices of special interests instead. What is even more sad is that this is the Governor’s last term
Every once in a while someone wanders into Organizing for Connecticut on our grassroots group page or post a bunch of spam on our own social network, selling viagra, cialisis (sp?) and such items on the cheap. I guess we all have to figure out how to make a living somehow. And that’s the beauty of democracy. Every human being has the right to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. We are forever hopeful that in that pursuit, the life, liberty and happiness of others is simultaneously intertwined in our endeavors.
Today, a passerby wrote the following on the wall of our FB page:
How did I get invited to this group? Obama and the White House are the last thing this Nation needs! Go Rand Paul!
We need representatives like Ron and Rand Paul here in CT! Our elected officials are horrible just like the socialist president!
At the beginning of the year, a host of great candidates stepped up to the plate, as noted in the picture to the right. There was some jockeying around by candidates of which office to run for. Ralph Nader, the presidential career candidate and spoiler, jumped into the senate race. And we all watched as Susan Bysiewicz (D) went to court to run for Attorney General.
Heading into the state party conventions, there was a glimmer of hope that a clear slate would emerge on both sides, allowing us to pick a candidate, get out the vote and head to the poles. Not so!
This week, there is going to be a “debate” in Congress on yet another war funding bill. The bill is supposed to pass without debate, so no one will notice.
A special message from James Rucker (Color of change).
Tell Fox: “Fire John Stossel”
On Wednesday, Rand Paul, the GOP’s US Senate candidate for Kentucky repeated his claim that a central piece of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was wrong, and thatbusinesses should be free to discriminate against whomever they please.1Paul and his supporters don’t seem to care that without federal intervention, Black people might still be second-class citizens in many aspects of American life: where we eat, where we work, even where we live.
Then, on Thursday, FOX anchor John Stossel went even further, calling for the section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that applies to business to be repealed.2 And he’s refused to back down.
Carroll O'Connor "There's a little bit of me in all of yous." Archie Bunker
POLITICO reported the other day that the proponents of Arizona’s new bill that bans ethnic studies and classes in public schools claim that such classes and studies “are designed only for students of a particular race and promote ethnic solidarity over community integration.”[full article]
Moreover, the language of this new law implies that ethnic studies and classes promote or lead one race or class of people to resent or hate other races or classes of people. “Public school pupils should be taught to treat and value each other as individuals and not be taught to resent or hate other races or classes of people.”
A favorite activity while growing up in Harlem was going to the RKO movie theater “up on the avenue” on 116th street, close to Dewey Square. When I was young, it was a chore to convince my mother to let me tag along with my older sisters; but I inevitably was successful. Often, Mom would ensure that the three youngest sisters (me and my sisters Fran and Sharon) went with our older siblings to “keep an eye out.” The star of this movie, among a list of greatness, is Lena Horne. When she sang “Stormy Weather,” I was blown over. I spent the rest of my life singing that song, and in my youth, imitating the great lady who sang it.
On Monday night, May 10th, Hartford City Council will vote on item 50, A Resolution to Boycott the State of Arizona, offered by City Council Minority Leader Luis Cotto, with regard to their law which promotes racial profiling.
SB438 represents breakthrough for Connecticut Education Reform Movement
Hartford, Conn. –ConnCAN applauds Connecticut legislators for passing SB 438 to make Connecticut more competitive in the federal Race to the Top and help close the state’s achievement gap.“Today is a breakthrough for the Connecticut education reform movement,” said ConnCAN CEO Alex Johnston.
I went to fill up my car today and gas jumped from $2.85 to $3.07 a gallon. It really gets under my skin when I see how much money I am shelling out for everyday items and then hear GOP leadership express their determination to stop every effort to right our economy and put in the necessary regulations and laws to prevent us from failing again with the Wall Street accountability bill. Big banks gambled our hard-earned money away and we bailed them out because they were too big to fail. Never again.
The power of your vote, your voice, your choice! Know the candidates before you vote. US Rep. Jim Himes (D) Campaign Office Opening tonight:
———————–
Dear Friend,
A week from today, I will ask for the support and whole-hearted endorsement of the Democratic Party as I ask the voters of Fairfield County to once more give me the privilege of serving you in the United States Congress. It has been a long journey since I first decided to run for Congress three years ago, with many challenges and rewards, but I am just as passionate now as I was then about working to fix government and the economy for Southwest Connecticut and bringing much-needed changes to our economy, recently on the verge of collapse.
The power of your vote, your voice, your choice! Election day is fast approaching. Get to know the candidates before you vote. Here’s a message from State Senator Jonathan Harris (D-West Hartford) who is running for Secretary of State.
———-
I am a Democratic State Senator from West Hartford and I am running for Secretary of the State.
Our party has a long and proud tradition of making a difference in the lives of the people and families of our state. I appreciate your commitment to be an integral part of our electoral process; to help Democrats win in November and lead into the future.
Connecticut’s families, businesses and communities are facing very difficult choices. During these challenging times we must lead as Democrats, drawing upon our legacy of job creation and economic opportunity for all. Though times are tough, we must remember that our party is best able to craft the solutions that will strengthen our economy, maintain vital services, protect “the little guy” and keep Connecticut a great place to live, work and raise a family.
(Hartford) – The Connecticut Institute for Community Development Puerto Rican Parade Inc. (CICD) will host it’s first ever Greater Hartford Puerto Rican Day Parade and third annual Festival del Coqui on Sunday, June 6, 2010.
