September 14, 2010Honorable Commendation Ceremony
City Council of Camden, New Jersey
The City Council of Camden, New Jersey expressed their heartfelt gratitude for our contributions and impact we have had in Camden City working in and outside the school system, with small businesses and non-profit organizations.
Mayor Dana Redd along with City Officials presented me with this Commendation, which I humbly accepted. I took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of the task that is in front of us:
REACH Teen Latinas. I Raised my Drum Beat Voice and was Heard!
Al Dia's Article on my published autobiographical poems, Alisados (Relaxers), raised controversy in the Dominican Community of Philadelphia.
In this article (in Spanish) the local newspaper, Al Dia, recognizes me as one among twelve community leaders that raised our voices during 2008.
Click on the picture and read the article.
Pelo Bueno, Pelo Malo by Carmen L. Montañez
A well written novel about a Puerto Rican Woman that uses enchantments to find love, but instead finds herself witnessing the lives of two of her own ancentrial women: an African slave woman and a European Spaniard Woman.
This novel captures the Puerto Rican rooted identity.
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Pelo Bueno, Pelo Malo The Documentary by Miguel Parra
Mr. Miguel Parra filmed a documentary about the Dominican Republic's excessive treatment of their hair especially by women. In this documentary he interviews various women asking them to explain the compulsive cultural practice of straightening their hair. The documentary was shown in Dominican Republic's Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo.
Artículo Especial: precione sobre la foto y lea el artículo en el periódico
Al Día Filadelfia.
"The Philadelphia Spanish Newspaper, 'Al Día', which circulates weekly in the New Jersey Tri-State Area released an extensive article in Spanish on the book, Relaxers (Alisados), in their May 4th through 10th, 2008 edition. This newspaper reaches out to half a million Latinos! The article was written by Andrea Vega and the photograph was taken by David Cruz."
Dora Matías is a Dominican woman that from a young age her parents had her hair relaxed. This is one of many women that Andrea Vega talks about in this article that continues to cover on the Dominican women's obsession for having "good" hair. This article titled 'Bad Hair, Good Body' is in Spanish and you can read it by clicking on the title. Andrea gives a description of the upcoming Dominican Documentary titled: Pelo Bueno, Pelo Malo (Good Hair, Bad Hair) by Miguel Parra Jiménez.
Belleza Project
by Jasmin Ortiz
A very interesting web page written in English by a black Dominican Woman's relationship to her hair and her experiences. It's a good reading. Click on the title to access it.
Noticia Cultural - BALLET CONTEMPORA, INC.
Viernes, 17 de octubre del 2008
BALLET CONTEMPORA, Inc. desde la Ciudad de Santiago de los Caballeros. Bajo la dirección de Alfa Rodriguez, fundadora de la Institución sin fines de lucro y la Academia de Baile. Se encuentran en su primera gira por Canada, Cuba y Estados Unidos. Auspiciado por PLAN (Professional Latinas Alliance Network, Inc.) y Yennie Leoto de Nueva Vida Mental Health
Center en Camden, Nueva Jersey.
La República Dominicana nos honró con sus Bellas Artes en su primera gira a los EEUU durante la celebración del Mes de La Hispanidad. Su presentacion en el Teatro de Walt Whitman en la ciudad de Camden, Nueva Jersey, fue todo un éxito. Por lo que el Honorable Consejar, Angel Fuentes, les presentó un Certificado departe de la Ciudad de Camden al Grupo.
Angel Fuentes presenta a Alfa Rodriguez
un Certificado Honorífico departe de la Ciudad.
La Comisión de Cultura y Herencia del Condado de Camden, NJ
Celebró el Mes de la Hispanidad
En "Poetry in the Park"
Brian Johnson - Sandra Turner-Barnes - Mildred Rojas - Eugene Brown - Delta Terrero
(poet/percussionist) (Exec.Director) (Feature Poet) (Published Poet) (Comm. Leader)
¡La Cultura Tiene Casa en Camden!
On October 6, poets and lovers of the Spoken Word of Camden County celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with the Featured Guest, Mildred E. Rojas, who exposed her poems from her book, "Alisados" (Relaxers), to an English/Spanish speaking audience. She was able for the first time to perform in both languages capturing both groups, and in this way affirming her bilingual-bicultural identity.
"El 6 de octubre se dieron encuentro poetas y amadores de la poesía para celebrar la Herencia Latinoamericana. La invitada especial fue Mildred E. Rojas quien expuso poemas de su libro, Alisados. Con un público compuesto de personas de habla inglesa e hispana, presentó sus poemas en ambos idiomas y así captando a ambos grupos por igual."
Tertulia Exitosa! - Raices Culturales, Filadelfia, PA
Donde por primera vez, se expuso el poema, La Napa, poema que es la firma del poemario, Alisados.
Book Fair at the 8th Conference on Dominican Affairs (2008): This Conference is celebrated annually every second Sunday of the month of February. Join us next year!
Poetry Writer's Table
Amber Muñoz, Mary Torres, Dr. Restitullo, Irsa García and Mildred E. Rojas.