Wednesday, December 29, 2004

Manuel, in creating icons, has become one

The Los Angeles Times profiles Manuel, Nashville's Mexican-American tailor whose designs are featured in a current exhibit at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.



"Manuel - who uses only one name - has been outfitting tough men in sparkly outfits for 50 years. After immigrating from Mexico in the mid-1950s, he had a hand in creating cultural icons such as the black-clad Johnny Cash and the Grateful Dead's skull-and-rose design."

Monday, December 27, 2004

Integration programs at Conexion Americas flourish in 2004

The Nashville Business Journal reviews the multiple programs run by Conexion Americas in 2004 to promote integration of the Hispanic community in Nashville. The non-profit conducts cultural competency training, housing education and loan services, business education and networking, language classes, research, and other services.



"These days, the nonprofit's staffers are grappling with their success as they handle dozens of petitions from organizations and companies for help with the Hispanic community."

Sunday, December 26, 2004

Integrated Hispanic/North American Christmas at Crievewood Baptist

The Tennessean highlights alternative Christmas celebrations, including Crievewood Baptist's multicultural service:



"Participants in the international Latino ministry at Crievewood Baptist Church attend a Christmas Eve service with the 'North American' congregants, then celebrate with rituals from their own culture - a late dinner, stories, Bible readings and prayer, pastor David Carabajal said."

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Foreign language in Williamson County elementary schools expands in 2004 but is still under review

The Tennessean reports that Williamson County schools added foreign language instruction to the third, fourth and fifth grades this year. Budget constraints mean the program is under continued scrutiny, and officials wonder if foreign language instruction is "effective" at the elementary level.

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Manuel exhibit at Frist highlights Mexico-influenced Western fashion

The City Paper reports that clothing designer Manuel Arturo Jose Cuevas Martinez is featured in a new exhibit at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts entitled Manuel: Star Spangled Couture. The designer is based in Nashville but grew up in Mexico.



"His take on Western wear is a kaleidoscope of classic details as well as symbols from Native American, Hispanic and Anglo cultures and Mexican religious life."



Frist Center Current Exhibitions

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Antioch First Baptist Church starts Spanish-language congregation

The Tennessean reports that Antioch First Baptist Church will house a new Hispanic congregation called Centro Familiar Cristiano. The church services will be led by Chuy Avila in Spanish but will be targeted to second-generation, bilingual, Hispanic residents of Antioch.



"'We're a flagship church in Antioch, Antioch First Baptist, and it sends a good message to churches in the Antioch area.'"

-pastor Sim Hassler, Antioch First Baptist Church

Monday, December 13, 2004

Cheekwood includes Las Posadas in multicultural holiday celebration

December celebration at Cheekwood highlights diverse holiday traditions, including the Hispanic tradition Las Posadas, in which figures from a nativity scene are taken from house to house for the nine days prior to Christmas, and on Christmas day the baby Jesus is laid in a manger.



"'When we do the nativity scene, we blow it way out of proportion,' said Maitane Zuloaga Tidwell, president of Inclusive Communications. 'In some houses, it can be as large as a room. … It's our way to make sure everyone in the community is involved in the celebration.'"

Thursday, December 9, 2004

Cuban refugees celebrate Nashville Christmas

Catholic Charities has been helping Cuban refugees since 1962; this year Cubans were among the 200 refugees who came to Nashville. Catholic Charities receives free space, food, drink and decoration from the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel for an annual holiday celebration for the refugees.



"'I am so grateful to Catholic Charities,' [Sudan native William] Dok said. 'They have helped me and my family find a place to live and give us clothes to wear. God has given them the strength to support refugees, and to me, this is a sign of love.'"

Wednesday, December 8, 2004

Homebuying Hispanics and language students reaping benefits of Conexion Americas programs

The Nashville Business Journal reports on the success of two Conexion Americas programs: Puertas Abiertas (Open Doors) and Language Exchange. Over 40 Hispanic families have become homeowners as a result of Puertas Abiertas. Language Exchange pairs English speakers and Spanish speakers for language and cultural exchange.



"'Local organizations such as Conexión Américas have worked hard to make Nashville a place where cultural differences do not isolate and divide people,' says Vera Kutzinski, director of the Center for the Americas at Vanderbilt University."

Monday, December 6, 2004

Nashville NAACP President frames Hispanics as threat to black identity, status

Nashville NAACP President Sonnye Dixon: "You can't forget about race. ... I think the problem with us as blacks is if we don't continue to talk about it, particularly with the growing number of Hispanics and other immigrants, we're going to be lost. And the things particularly addressed to our type of cultural sensitivity will be grouped all in the whole. ... [W]e fought for 50 years and we're going to have all the advantages go to persons who are Hispanic."

Friday, December 3, 2004

Nashville Hispanic Chamber launches continuing education event, December focus is law enforcement

The Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (NAHCC) kicks off LatINforma, a monthly series of educational sessions to keep the Hispanic/Latino community better informed.



The first session will take place on Monday, December 6, from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Chamber offices inside Harding Mall, 4050 Nolensville Pike, Suite 211.



These sessions are free and open to the public.



Representatives from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Communications, Metro Nashville Police ‘El Protector’ Program and Tennessee Department of Safety will meet with the Hispanic/Latino community in an informal and personal level to educate, interact and inform about the different roles each of these agencies play in our community.



In many Hispanic countries the Police are not only responsible for law enforcement, their roles go as far as issuing passports, driver’s licenses, and IDs and even dealing with civil warrants. Therefore there is a significant need to inform the Hispanic/Latino community about the differences in everyday life with hopes that this knowledge will prevent any confusion that could result in unintentionally breaking the law.



LatINforma is a spin-off of the community collaborative that started in November 2003 with a partnership between NAHCC and Scarritt-Bennett Center, to bring Diversity in Dialogue Study Circles to south Nashville’s Hispanic/Latino community. With the support of the Metro Human Relations Commission two listening forums to foster relationships and understanding between law enforcement and Hispanics/Latinos were conducted at Glencliff High School in February and April 2004. Other organizations involved in the collaborative were Hispanic Link Consulting, La Noticia Spanish Newspaper, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods, and Metro Nashville Police Department.



“It’s apparent that the growth of the Hispanic population in our area is best defined as overwhelming, and it creates a need to rapidly assimilate at many different levels. Obtaining information is crucial and troublesome for Hispanics. LatINforma is an initiative designed to help in this process. Our Chamber is picking up where the listening forums and study circles left off; we are taking responsibility by continuing our initial goal of providing our growing Hispanic/Latino community with the necessary tools to better interact in our city”, said Yuri Cunza, President of the NAHCC.



Topics to be discussed in future sessions include:



* Metro Codes and Health Departments

* Metro Water Services and Stormwater

* Metro Public Schools

* Metro Fire Department

* Metro Nashville Police ‘El Protector’ Program

* Metro Human Relations Commission

* Scarritt-Bennett Center’s Diversity in Dialogue Study Circles

* Youth/Child programs

* Financial Planning

* Auto, Home, and Life Insurance

* Domestic Violence



NAHCC’s LatINforma is supported and endorsed by the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, Hispanic Link Consulting, La Noticia Spanish Newspaper, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods, Metro Human Relations Commission, Metro Nashville Police Department and Scarritt-Bennett Center.



For further information please contact Gabriela Coto at 615-568-3652, gabicoto@msn.com or Diana Holland at 615-585-9884, diana@hispaniclinkconsulting.com, LatINforma Program Coordinators and Board Members with the NAHCC.

Thursday, December 2, 2004

Free children's book program will include bilingual books

A statewide program to give a free book, every month, to every child under 5 years old in Tennessee will include books in English and Spanish. Funded by private and public funds, the program is not yet in place in Nashville.
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