Barrio de Langley Park
A Neighborhood Planning Newsletter Published by Action Langley Park
Issue Number 308, January 2014
Threats & Responses
Work on the transit center to be located at the northwest
corner of University Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue has
begun, and it may be completed sometime next year. The Purple Line, which will run along the center (median) of University
Boulevard, may begin construction next year if all of the funding is in hand, and the construction may take five years or
more. The Prince George’s County’s “Sector Plan,” which calls
for “redevelopment” that will replace many apartments and
businesses with upscale alternatives, has been approved and
awaits the final step, which is zoning changes. (The Sector
Plan for the Montgomery County calls mostly for redeveloping
the commercial area.) These are all threats to the people who
live and work in the Langley Park area because where they now
live and work may not survive.
Can the changes be stopped? For the most part, the answer is probably no. Can there be some modifications so that
the international community of residents and businesses can
largely be preserved? Maybe. But it will take an almost herculean effort. An effort by whom? There are organizations in the
area with a strong vested interest in minimizing the changes:
CASA de Maryland, the
small business association LPSBOA, the TakomaLangley CDA, St. Camillus
Church, St. Mark’s
Church, and others. To
have a chance at minimizing the disruptions and
destructions, these orWhy does the man trying to stop the tank
ganizations must work
in Tiananmen Square come to mind?
together. Will they?
The seeds of cooperation appear to have been planted, and
so there is hope. Of course, there are powerful forces favoring
the change of the Langley Park area from working-class immigrant to middle-class few-immigrant so that the property tax
base and income taxes increase, and the money in the pockets
of shoppers enlarges. The history of Adams-Morgan, Mount
Pleasant, and other neighborhoods that used to be working
class immigrant and are now mostly upscale might make one
predict significant change. But just maybe: not! If….
Note 1: The planned Purple Line will run through the town of Chevy Chase in Maryland for about one-half mile. Right now, town officials are trying to decide
whether to spend about $350k to continue the fight against the construction. It’s
not cheap fighting “city hall” — but there’s wealth in Chevy Chase.
Note 2: The term “gentrification” is usually used to refer to residents displaced
due to an increase in housing prices, however it applies equally to businesses
displaced due to an increase in the rent, lease, or property tax.
ACA
If you haven’t checked
with
the
Maryland
Health Connection to
find out about your eligibility for health insurance via the Affordable
Care Act, be sure right
away to telephone 1855-642-8572 (an English & Spanish line).
All school principals,
community
center
directors, and others: Please pass the
word! Health insurance is vital! Get it!
Senator Mikulski Writes
“It's good to hear from you. I absolutely share your concern for Americans and especially children who have to go
without basic necessities like food. In a country that is as
prosperous and blessed as the United States, no one should
ever have to go to bed hungry. No one should ever have to
choose between paying the rent or food.
“As a former social worker in Baltimore, I know how important SNAP is. Food stamps are essential in helping low-income
recipients by providing monetary assistance when they go to
the grocery store. That's why I joined my colleagues in sending
a letter to the members of the Farm Bill conference committee
asking them to reject attempts to change the eligibility rules
of SNAP. These changes would prevent millions of seniors,
children, and families from accessing SNAP benefits.”
Langley Park Day 2014: Is your calendar
marked for this festival plus health fair on
May 4 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Langley Park
Community Center? If not, mark it now!
News and Notes
Maryland Community Services Locator
The Center for Substance Abuse Research at the
University of Maryland (College Park) invites state residents to identify, when needed, approximately 9,000
health, social service and criminal justice resource programs in Maryland using a special tool. The Maryland
Community Services Locator can provide service information, maps, and driving directions to programs. To
use the tool requires computer or “I” access. If so, go to
thi s
address:
http://www.mdcsl.org/
advantagecallback.asp?template=map_search.
Of course, in PG County it is always possible to
make a telephone call to County Click, 311 or to access
that
agency
online
at
http://
countyclick.princegeorgescountymd.gov. The person who answers can direct the caller to the right
agency. Admittedly ALP has not tested the Center or
311, but we are confident until contrary reports pour in.
Maryland Decisionmakers Are Different
With the two longest serving presiding officers in
Maryland history, the state Senate and House of Delegates, and a majority of their committees, are headed by
people in their 60s and 70s. Wisdom! Feeble?
In general, our legislature is not representative of the
population: it is overly represented by older people,
males, Euro-Americans, and those with graduate degrees. Will highly-educated older Euro males properly
represent, say, the Latino/a and immigrant populations
in the state?
And in Congress: As national politicians continue to
grapple over income equality in the nation, a new report
shows that the majority of lawmakers on Capitol Hill are
worth at least $1 million. Senators were considerably
richer than House members, with the median net worth
of $2.5 million compared with $896,000.
Yes, There Are Corrupt Latin Americans
Reading reports from and talking with knowledgeable
people in Mexico, Ecuador, and elsewhere, it is clear
that corruption and bullying are all too common in many
Latin American countries. But we might well not be able
to mount a hands-clean criticism given the behavior of
some government officials in the USA. After all, it appears that the Christie administration
closed lanes on the George Washington
Bridge for spite! Of course, in Prince
George’s County, we cannot forget
County Executive Jack Johnson telling
his wife to hide ill-gotten gains in her bra.
Let’s have a fantasy: It’s 2017 and
Chris Christie is the President of the
United States. Both Russia and China have taken actions that annoy him; they are not supporting his position
on international trade. Yes, he’s annoyed. And his Secretary of State, knowing the President likes to lash out,
orders the launching of nuclear weapons at Moscow and
Beijing. Boom! But oh my goodness, those good—for-
2
nothings in Moscow and Beijing have launched nuclear
weapons at Washington D.C. How dare they? Goodbye.
Mónica Spear
The father of a Venezuelan beauty queen and former
Miss Venezuela who was murdered
by a gang along a Venezuelan road
this week has called for her killing to
be a catalyst for change in a country
with one of the highest murder rates
in the world. Señora Spear was 29
years old. Her husband was also
killed, and their five year old daughter
was injured.
The USA needs changes too, including stricter control of gun purchases and possession.
We are not all in militias! And on the subject of losing
parents, deportation is even more guilty than guns.
O’Malley Not Up To Date?
Item: Maryland schools may not be the first policy
priority of Governor O’Malley. He has come out forcefully
against the legalization of marijuana. He says that it
could be “a gateway to even more harmful behavior. …
I’m not much in favor of it.”
National Academy of Sciences: “Patterns in progression of drug use from adolescence to adulthood are
strikingly regular. Because it is the most widely used illicit drug, marijuana is predictably the first illicit drug
most people encounter. Not surprisingly, most users of
other illicit drugs have used marijuana
first. [But] in fact, most drug users begin
with alcohol and nicotine before marijuana
—usually before they are of legal age. …
Marijuana is not the most common, and is
rarely the first, ‘gateway’ to illicit drug use.”
If marijuana is to be barred, then let’s reinstate the
prohibition of alcohol, institute the prohibition of all forms
of smoking, and of course keep the hard drug ban too.
Well, let’s wait to see what happens in Colorado where
the recreational use of marijuana is now legal.
For fun, check out Reefer Madness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Azf320JDdqU
Affordable Housing
Better Health
Efforts to improve neighborhood environments and to
maintain and increase the number of affordable housing
units are critical to enhancing safety and health for all
people in the USA. Given that people with more color
disproportionately reside in high-poverty neighborhoods
without sufficient affordable housing, neighborhood-level
interventions may be particularly important in efforts to
eliminate health disparities. And yet despite the evidence, affordable housing in the Langley Park area is
threatened. Can family displacement be stopped?
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20689374
Transfers for the Purple Line
ALP has been trying to find out what plans there are
for transferring to and from the Purple Line once it is
constructed. But up and down the hierarchy, there is no
answer. If a second payment has to be made after riding
“News & Notes” continues on Page 3
3
“News & Notes” continues from Page 2
Films About Immigration and Immigrants: 4
the Purple Line, ridership will certainly not meet expectations. But Metro is cash-short, so maybe (for example)
going from Langley Park to Silver Spring on the Purple
Line and then transferring to the Red Line will require a
second payment. If so, the $2.2 billion for the Purple
Line will have been a mistake. But will the public-private
partnership agree to having transfers?
So far, we have presented three films focusing at
least in part on the journey, Golden Door, El Norte, and
The Immigrant. We now turn to the new life, to which El
Norte and The Immigrant devote segments. But my favorite film about the new life is La Ciudad (The City), a four-story feature film
directed by David Riker.
My favorite story is called “Home.” A
young man arrives anew in New York City
looking for a relative with whom to stay.
He doesn’t find the relative, but somewhat accidently happens into a quince
party, connects with a woman there, is
given by her a place to stay for the night, goes out to
shop for some groceries, and in the cluster of high-rise
apartments forgets where the girl’s apartment is. I’ve
seen it many times and always cry. The other three stories are also emotionally strong focusing on the hardships of working class newcomers.
Natali Fani-Gonzalez: District 18
Former university student in this area, and activist in
immigrant, business, women’s, and Democratic causes,
Natali is the founder and director of the Matea Group
that consults on behalf of Latino and immigrant communities locally and beyond.
Along the way, she worked for CASA de
Maryland. Now Natalie has announced
that she will campaign to become the
delegate from Maryland’s 18th District.
Good luck! But at last check, incumbent
Ana Sol Gutierrez is running for reelection. Natalie and Ana Sol are both good
people; what a shame that we can’t have
both of them voting for pro-immigrant proNatali
gressive causes. Darn, this seems to be
a zero-sum situation: one gains, one loses.
Latino Children and Success
“Latinos, because of the strong cultural values of respect (respeto), obedience in hierarchical familial relations (machismo; familismo), calmness (tranquilidad),
and hard work (echarle ganas), embody the character
attributes that should lead to success later in life. Studies
of Mexican-American youth confirm that they have better
social skills in the toddler and pre-school years than nonLatino children. Simply, they are much better behavedthey follow directions, are obedient, and quiet.”
Source:
http://mexicanintellectual.blogspot.com/2013/02/latinokindergartners-behave-well-but.html.
Diplomacy: USA and Cuba
From AP: "U.S. and Cuban representatives held a
fresh round of migration talks in Havana, continuing a
recent trend of the two Cold War foes working together
on some issues. A Cuban government statement said
the talks covered the status of 1990s migratory accords
under which the U.S. agreed to issue 20,000 immigrant
visas a year to Cubans, as well as efforts to combat illegal immigration and people trafficking. Havana reiterated
its stance that to ensure legal and orderly migration, the
U.S. must do away with the Cuban Adjustment Act,
which makes Cubans eligible for permanent residency
after being in the States for one year, and the 'wet-foot,
dry-foot' policy, which lets islanders who arrive on American soil stay while those detained at sea are repatriated.
'These are the main encouragement to illegal departures
and irregular arrivals of Cuban citizens in the U.S. territory,' the statement said."
Comment: When will we open regular diplomatic relations with Cuba? Either that or break diplomatic relations
with China, Ecuador, Russia, Zimbabwe, and a number
of other countries whose government we don’t like. Let's
“News & Notes” continues on Page 4
Unemployment
The percent unemployed in the country dropped to 6.7% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The prior month, it was
7.0%. Great news? Well, maybe not, because the decline in percent unemployed for the past few months reflects work
dropouts as much or more than job creation. For many
years, the participation rate was in the 65.9% to 66.5%
range, but it was 63% in November 2013 and 62.8% in
December. (See the table showing participation in December from 2003 to 2013.) If a 3% participation decline is
added to the unemployment figure, then the people we
should worry about is 6.7 + 3 = 9.7%. Of course, some of
the non-participation is due to retirement; still, people are
dropping out, giving up. If a person searches for job for a
year or more without success but somehow can make it
with Social Security or other monies, dropping out may be
appealing.
Subgroups: The unemployment rates of population
subgroups for December 2013 tended to decline, but the
comparative rates maintained their positions. Unemployment: Euro-Americans, 5.9%; African-Americans, 11.9%
(those 16-19 years old, 35.5%); Latinos 20+, 7.5%; Latinas 20+,
8.1%; Latino/as 16-19, 22.3%. So for Latino/as over the past 12
months, the unemployment decline was from 9.6% to 8.3%, and
workforce participation only changed from 65.8% to 65.5%
(Latinos, 80.5%; Latinas, 53.5%; those 16-19, 28.2%). The participation gender gap is much greater for Latinos/Latinas (27%)
than for the genders among Euro-Americans (12.1%) and African
-Americans (3.4%). Is this a reflection of cultural differences
pertaining to gender roles? Or does it indicate that more women
than men work in the informal sector?
Looking at unemployment by industry, agriculture is 12% and
construction 11.4%. Alas, many immigrants are in these two
fields. And many men living in the Langley Park area work in construction—when there is work to be had.
The December 2013 data are not yet available at the county
level, but in November PG County’s figure was 6.2% compared
with Maryland’s 6.0%. Howard County’s was the best, 4.7%. At
the other end, Worchester County’s was an astounding 14.0%.
“News & Notes” continues from Page 3
be consistent, not cruel. And let's not forget what the Cuban people had before the Castro revolution: The awful
Batista.
Immigration: the GOP House
House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va., pictured) says he sees “no
reason” why current undocumented immigrants shouldn’t gain legal status as long as
Congress enacts tougher border-security
and enforcement measures. Because he's
been so against reform, it's a strain to be
optimistic about his current statement. But
it's better than "deport 'em all."
Lawyer Roger Algase comments: "As always, it is
essential to read statements by Goodlatte and other Republican leaders very carefully. Exactly how much interior enforcement (i.e. deportation) does Goodlatte want
to see in place before legalization could happen? …
Also Goodlatte wants to tie the president's hands on 'not
enforcing' the law, i.e., granting administrative deferments or exemptions from deportation."
Gabe Ortiz of America's Voice writes: "Because it will
directly affect our families and loved ones, we need to
make sure the House Republican principles align
with our values. They should:
Provide an achievable path to citizenship for the 11 million aspiring Americans;
Keep families together by strengthening the "right to reunite"
programs for future immigrants;
Protect the rights of all workers, immigrant and native-born alike;
Respect the contributions of all, including due process protections for immigrants, diversity in the immigration system, and
equal treatment under the law.
But forget happiness. Goodlatte just released this
statement: “I remain opposed to amnesty, as I always
have been. I do not support a special pathway to citizenship that rewards those who have broken our immigration laws." Sorry for printing “amnesty” here.
The Multiservice Center
Yes, there will be a multiservice center run by the PG
County government located in La Union Mall, and the
expected opening will be in February—yes, February
2014, that is! The center will have many social services
for residents of the Langley Park area. More detailed
news soon. The Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative
has been a significant advocate of this addition. Good!
Fighting Domestic Abuse
The Washington Post notes (11 January 2014) that
Maryland “has long had the dubious distinction of being
the only state that imposes a rigid burden of proof for
victims of domestic abuse to receive a civil protection
order." But maybe there's hope. Senator Brian Frosh,
who chairs the Judicial Proceedings Committee, is sponsoring legislation to establish a more reasonable burden
of proof for victims seeking protection orders. That's
good news for many women (and some men), and certainly for many women in the Langley Park area who
suffer from the gender norms of elsewhere.
4
Police Command, District 1
The Commander of Police District 1
was, until last Sunday, Robert Brewer. He
seems to have been a quality leader in our
area. And now, change: the new Commander is Major Dan Weishaar (pictured).
He was until recently the Commander of
District 6, Beltsville. Is this a promotion or
demotion or a sideways slide? The telephone for commanders is the same: 301 699-2626.
Schools: Grading & Teaching
Grading: The county is reportedly reviewing grading
policy, e.g., should homework be graded, should grades
reflect current accomplishment or improvement over
time, and more. Hey: be loving but have high standards!
Teachers: There’s a very sad report on teaching in
the Washington Post (13 January 2014) that we hope
and pray is not in any way representative of what goes
on in PG County schools.
“How hard is teaching? Here's one answer to that
question from an e-mail by a veteran seventh-grade language arts teacher in Frederick, Md., who says she is
quitting because of what she considers students who
don't work, parents who want their children to have high
grades no matter what,* mindless curriculum and school
reformers who insist on trying to quantify things that can't
be measured.” The teacher:
“I was called down to the principal's office. . . . She handed
me a list of about 10 students, all of whom had D's or F's. At the
time, I only had about 120 students, so I was relatively on par
with a standard bell curve. As she brought up each one, I walked
her through my grade sheets that showed not low scores but a
failure to turn in work—a lack of responsibility. I showed her my
tutoring logs, my letters to parents, only to be interrogated further. Eventually, the meeting came down to two quotes that I will
forever remember as the defining slogans for public education:
‘They are not allowed to fail.’ ‘If they have D's or F's, there is
something that you are not doing for them.’"
Diane Ravitch: Her new book, Reign of Error: The
Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to
America’s Public Schools, has ideas work exploring.
*Note: Universities are not so different!
The Condo Market
The latest figures on condominium sales in our metropolitan area, from January through June 2013, are
strange indeed. A majority of
the median sale prices in the
counties and D.C. are
$200,000 or above. By far the
lowest median price is PG
County; the figure is $80,000
for the 755 sales. That’s an
increase of $7,000 over the
same period in 2012, but
still…. We know about one
condo in Beltsville that a few years ago was purchased
for more than $200,000 but now is on the market for less
than $100,000. Note: The condos in Upper Marlboro
(pictured) are well above $200,000.
5
Some Comments on Immigration Happenings or Possibilities
The Maryland Dream Act
Qualification Requirements
To qualify for the Dream Act, an undocumented immigrant must fulfill the following conditions:
♦ Attend a public or nonpublic secondary school in
the state for at least three years (beginning no
earlier than the 2005‐2006 school year);
What if the first of three years was in the District of
Columbia? What if the young person began in the
2004-2005 school year?
♦ Graduate from a secondary school, or received the
equivalent of a high school diploma, in Maryland no
earlier than the 2007‐2008 school year;
So those with a 2006-2007 diploma are excluded.
Why?
♦ Provide documentation that the student or the student’s parent or legal guardian has filed a Maryland
income tax return for at least three years while the student was in high school, and for any year during
the period since high school graduation;
If some or all family members are undocumented,
working in the so-called shadow economy, they
might well not have filed an income tax report. So for
that reason, the young person who had nothing to do
with tax filing is precluded?
♦ Register at a community college within four years
of high school graduation;
Why the four year limit? Maybe the young person
had to work five years to save for college?
♦ Begin, or have begun, higher education at a Maryland public community
college no earlier than the Fall
2010 semester.
But some students might have started
part-time earlier than Fall 2010. So they
are excluded?
♦ Comply with the registration requirements of the
selective service system;
Comply by when? If before the Dream Act, that requirement could not have been anticipated.
♦ File an application to become a permanent resident
within 30 days of becoming eligible to do so.
If the Dream Act requires registration, then many
young people might not realize that by not knowing
and not registering, the higher education chance may
have been lost.
Perhaps this is a misreading of the Act. If so, we
hope for correction. If not, the Act should be amended.
Private & Government Fiscal Costs & Benefits
For each annual cohort of students who benefit from
the Dream Act, the estimated total fiscal costs to governments of additional schooling induced by the Dream Act
are approximately $3.6 million for the Maryland state
government, $3.6 million for county governments and
$200,000 for the federal government. However, the initial costs of the investment in education will be more
than offset by increased tax revenues and lower govern-
ment spending on incarceration and other government
programs that result from a more educated citizenry.
Consequently, the total net fiscal benefits of the Dream
Act for each annual cohort of students are estimated to
be close to $24.6 million. Of this $24.6 million, approximately $6.2 million will accrue to the State government
of Maryland and to Maryland county governments and
$18.4 million will accrue to the federal government.
While these estimates are based on a number of parameters that must be estimated, the basic result is robust and remains qualitatively unchanged when underlying assumptions are varied.
Source: http://www.umbc.edu/mipar/Documents/dreamactpolicybrief.pdf
The Positives of Change
From the Bipartisan Policy Center
Immigration reform can produce powerful economic
benefits. By adding new, younger workers to the economy, immigration reform can augment the size and
strength of the future labor force, resulting in a number
of economic benefits. Here are some expectations of
the results of reform:
♦ Spur economic growth. Immigration reform would
cause the U.S. economy to grow an additional 4.8%
over a 20-year period, including 2.8% in the first decade
(as measured by gross domestic product, or GDP). Annual average growth would be 0.24% higher, peaking at
0.35% in FY2019-FY2023.
♦ Reduce federal deficits. Cumulative deficits would
fall by nearly $1.2 trillion over a 20-year period. About
$180 billion of this reduction would occur in the first
decade, and $990 billion in the second decade.
♦ Jump-start the housing recovery. Immigration reform would dramatically increase demand for housing
units. This would increase residential construction
spending by an average of $68 billion per year over the
20-year period.
♦ Expand the labor force. By 2033, the labor force
would be 8.3 million people larger, an increase of 4.4%
compared with the baseline.
♦ Offset aging of the workforce. After accounting for
fertility, mortality, and emigration, immigration reform
would add 13.7 million people to the population by
FY2033. Just 6% of these people would be age 65 or
older. By comparison, the Census Bureau projects that
20% of U.S. residents will be 65 or older in 2030.
♦ Increase long-term wages. Wages would initially
fall due to the large influx of workers, but rise in the long
-term. Real wages in FY2023 would be about 0.2% below the baseline, but would be 0.5% higher than the
baseline in FY2033.
Source: http://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/
BPC_Immigration_Economic_Impact.pdf
Note: The lead author of this document has been hired to advise the House
of Representatives’ Republican Leadership.
5
Many Americans Struggle
President Obama’s
Speech
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 31.6% of Americans were in poverty for at
least two months from 2009 to 2011, a 4.5% increase over the prerecession period of
2005 to 2007. Poverty was a temporary state for
In Poverty In Poverty
most people; however, 3.5% of Americans were in
all of
Characteristics
2≤ months
poverty for the entire three-year period. That’s one
2011 % in 2011 %
reason why extending unemployment compensation
14
24
and not cutting food stamps is essential—if we give a ALL
damn about our fellow Americans.
12
22
“Poverty was a persistent condition for many; Euro-American
among the 37.6 million people who were poor at the Euro Not Latino/a
9
18
start of the period — January and February 2009 — African-American
26
36
26.4% remained poor throughout the next 34 months.
However, many people escaped poverty: 12.6 million,
Latino/a
24
38
or 35.4%, who were poor in 2009 were not in poverty
Not
Latino/a
12
21
in 2011.
“As some moved out of poverty, others moved into
it. About 13.5 million people, or 5.4%, who were not Under 18
21
32
in poverty in 2009 slipped into poverty by 2011. …
18 to 64
13
23
“[Latino/as] were more likely than [African7
11
Americans to enter poverty over the course of 2009 65 and over
to 2011, but also more likely than African-Americans
8
16
to exit poverty. Latino/as also had shorter median Married-couple
spell durations, 6.5 months, while the median dura- Female-headed
32
44
tion for blacks was 8.5 months.”
He talks about “the relentless, decades-long trend …
a dangerous and growing
inequality and lack of upward mobility that has jeopardized middle-class America’s basic bargain—that if
you work hard, you have a
chance to get ahead.”
Source: Census.gov
Male-headed
16
29
Jon Stewart
on Inequality
Check out this segment
from the Daily Show:
http://
www.huffingtonpost.com/2014
/01/10/jon-stewart-incomeinequality_n_4575409.html.
Skip the advertisement!
Colbert Report
on Inequality
20
32
The above table indicates that poverty does not Unrelated people
cruelly impact all Americans equally. African- Euro=“white” (whose skin is not white!)
Source: http://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p70
Americans and Latino/as are hit the hardest. Teenag- -137.pdf
ers are hit hard, but seniors are not thanks to Social
Security. In the family situation, the family headed by a married couple has the lowest
poverty rate, and female-headed households have the highest rate. From other data, we
know that African-American and Latino/a teenagers from female-headed households are
the most likely to live in poverty, and to be poor in part because of the head of household is unemployed thanks to the family situation and/or a lack of education and skills
Stephen Colbert directs
attention to the Democrats
and the Pope. Check out:
http://www.colbertnation.com/
the-colbert-reportvideos/431919/january-072014/income-inequality-debate
Maria Shriver On Women’s Struggles
Underrepresented
“Let me state the obvious: I have never lived on the brink. I’ve never been in foreclosure, never applied for food stamps, never had to choose between feeding my children or
paying the rent, and never feared I’d lose my paycheck when I had to take time off to
care for a sick child or parent. I'm not thrown into crisis mode if I have to pay a parking
ticket, or if the rent goes up. If my car breaks down, my life doesn’t descend into chaos.
“But the fact is, one in three people in the United States do live with this kind of stress,
struggle, and anxiety every day. More than 100 million Americans either live near the
brink of poverty or churn in and out of it, and nearly 70% of these Americans are women
and children. ...
“For the millions of American women who live this way, the dream of ‘having it all’ has
morphed into ‘just hanging on.’ Everywhere they look, every magazine cover and talk
show and website tells them women are supposed to be feeling more “empowered” than
ever, but they don’t feel empowered. They feel exhausted.
“Many of these women feel they are just a single incident—one broken bone, one broken-down car, one missed paycheck—away from the brink. And they’re not crazy to feel
that way: (1) Women are nearly two-thirds of minimum-wage workers in the country; (2)
More than 70% of low-wage workers get no paid sick days at all; (3) Fully 40% of all
households with children under the age of 18 include mothers who are either the sole or
primary source of income.”
The full Shriver Report is available at http://shriverreport.org/special-report/a-womans-nation-pushes-back-from-thebrink/
Skip the advertisement!
The U.S. electorate isn't
entirely represented by the
people in the U.S. who
vote ... On the whole, Americans are more likely to vote
the more education they
have, the more money they
earn, and the older they
are.
This means that the
people who participate in
U.S. elections don't necessarily mirror the interests of
all Americans who ought to
be eligible to vote. And one
segment of the population
stands out as disproportionately unrepresented:
the disadvantaged.
Let’s get out the vote!
7
Saturday Cybersecurity Awareness Workshops
These workshops provide an interactive learning and mentoring experience for girls in grades 6-8 who are interested in
technology, computers, and cybersecurity! Undergraduate students will lead workshops in various computer and technology
related topics. This event will provide girls the opportunity to
learn everything they need to know to safely use the internet and
technology with confidence! The workshop will accept up to 70 girls for this
event.
The program: In the Cybersecurity
and Cybersafety program, undergraduate students will lead girls through
interactive presentations and exciting
workshops. They will engage in fun,
hands-on activities that will allow them
to become a smarter computer user!
Segments: (1) Welcome and Icebreaker Activities; (2) Groups rotate through hands-on activities in various topics; (3) Lunch; (4) Closing Ceremony—
Includes an interactive review of the day's activities and recognition for participation (Parents are strongly urged to attend
this session).
Program Location: The Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building
University of Maryland, College Park. Directions and Parking
Information will be provided to accepted applicants closer to
the date.
Program Date: Saturday, 22 February 2014, 9:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m.
Apply: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until
all spots are full, so apply ASAP! The program cost is $30,
which includes lunch and a t-shirt. Payment will be required
once the applicant is accepted to the program.
If you have any questions or want to be put on the mailing
list for future events, please contact Cristin Caparotta, (301)
405-6735 or [email protected].
APPLY SOON, SPACE IS LIMITED!
PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS
A school-community engagement meeting
Do you have a child who is not performing well in school? If
so, first go to the guidance counselor at the school. And then
consider going to this meeting.
♦Hosts: Education Board Member Amber Waller (pictured) & Partners for Success Parent Center. ♦Topic: Special Education—Everything you want to know, e.g.,
what is an IEP, how are services accessed,
and more. ♦Meeting: 15 January 2014,
6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Thomas Stone Elementary School, 4500
34th St., Mount Rainier. ♦Spanish interpretation provided.
♦Register by calling 301 431-5675 or by emailing
[email protected]. Ms. Waller tells BLP that those wanting to attend should register as soon as possible, certainly by
the 15th if possible, so that those organizing the meeting will
have a good estimate of the number of people who are planning to attend.
What
&
When
Here we list upcoming ALP activities and other events that
are called to our attention. Have an event to list? If so, send
information well in advance to [email protected].
2014
Every third Saturday of the month—Free Community
Dinner & Food Distribution at St. Michael & All Angels
Church, 8501 New Hampshire Ave., 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Enrollment continues for the Affordable Care Act. The
Affordable Care Act will make health insurance affordable
for the non-wealthy, but you have to enroll. Go to marylandhealthconnection.gov to learn about the opportunities and
perhaps sign up for affordable health insurance.
January 15—Partnering for Success. See box in left
column, and note early registration request.
January 15—Mortgage modification by SEED. 6:308:30 p.m. at 6201 Riverdale Road, Suite 200. Questions?
Call 301 458-9808.
January 16—Quinceanero 2014 open house, 1:30 to
4:30 p.m. at the Langley Park Community Center. See below box.
January 20—Latino State of the Union in New York City.
April 26, 2014—Maryland Day at the University of
Maryland, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lots to do, lots to see!
May 4—Langley Park Day, a festival of music, dance,
information, and food plus a major health fair. Noon to 3
p.m. for the health fair indoors, until 4 p.m. outside for the
performances, children’s activities, and more. At the Langley Park Community Center. (Photo from a recent Langley
Park Day performance.)
May 30, 2014—High Point graduation at the Comcast
Center on the U. of Maryland campus, 1:30 p.m. Northwestern’s is May 28 at 1:30 p.m.
Attention health professionals: The health fairs in Langley
Park, which take place in November and May, always need
health professionals with special screening and/or consultation skills. Can you and will you help?
Quinceañero 2014
Teen girls 14 to 15 years of age will have the
opportunity to experience a unique program
that teaches leadership skills, etiquette,
and community engagement, and possibly it
will be the only opportunity to celebrate their
Quinceañero. Sponsors and mentors are
needed for this program. We are looking for
people to sponsor a young girl. Your contribution of $75.00 dollars will cover the registration fee to the 10-week program. You can
make a difference in a girl's life. For more
information or to help, contact Nydia Ocasio at [email protected] or 301 408-4335 or in Spanish:
301 445-4504. It’s a great program!
There’s an open house January 16 (see above).