Orange County Fire Rescue lieutenant talks about Hispanic roots, career
Orange County Fire Lieutenant Claudia Fernandez has been with the department for 23 years and has responded to hundreds of 911 calls. She explained sheโs had to speak Spanish in order to help victims during some of those calls.
Orlando language center offers opportunities for local, foreign students
EPCOT isnโt the only place in Orlando where people can journey through different countries and cultures. Berlitz Language Center also gives residents and visitors the international experience that comes with learning a new language.
Roberto Clemente: More than Latin Americaโs baseball star
Roberto Clemente was the first Latino to be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The legacy of Roberto Clemente is still treasured today, proven nearly 50 years after his death. In fact, the Orange County School Board unanimously voted to rename the facility Roberto Clemente Middle on Sept. 21, coincidentally during Hispanic Heritage Month. Becoming baseballโs most prominent Afro-LatinoRoberto Clemente started his Major League Baseball career with the Pittsburg Pirates. The son of a sugarcane worker, Clemente began his professional baseball career just after finishing high school.
NASA to offer Mars rover landing coverage in Spanish for the first time
NASA will host its first-ever Spanish-language show for a planetary landing, marking another milestone for its Mars 2020 mission. ORLANDO, Fla. โ Thereโs a lot of firsts when it comes to NASAโs Mars 2020 rover mission, including its first-ever Spanish-language show for a planetary landing. As NASAโs Perseverance rover prepares to attempt the riskiest part of its mission, landing on the red planet, NASA will host โJunto perseveramos,โ together we persevere. The Spanish-language show will give viewers an overview of the Mars mission and introduce the role Hispanic NASA professionals have had in it. She will also offer live English-to-Spanish translation and commentary during the roverโs entry, descent and landing on Mars.
Hispanic media program at UCF pushes for more diverse journalists
UCFโs Nicholson School of Communication and Mediaโs Hispanic Media Initiative Knightly Latino, a Spanish-television news program, offers a way for students to report on the Hispanic and Latinx community on campus, and broaden their job opportunities by learning more about Spanish-language media. Christina Dรญaz was on the trip and she says Knightly Latino was one of her most influential classes in college. Christina Dรญaz reporting for Knightly Latino (Christina Dรญaz)โIt challenged me to get outside my comfort zone while also offering an extremely inviting atmosphere. [WATCH: UCF is third in state with largest Hispanic, Latino student body]โNow more than ever, we need to amplify the voices of immigrants and people of color throughout the United States,โ said Kight. For more stories on how the Hispanic community is impacting Central Florida, head to clickorlando.com/hispanicheritage.
Meet Lucymar Rivera, a pioneer of Orlando Spanish-language radio
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Lucymar Rivera, one of the first female voices of Spanish radio in Orlando, is now in her 31st year of bringing information to the Hispanic and Latino community with her daily morning show, Las Maรฑanitas con Lucymar--Mornings with Lucymar. In different countries.โRivera, a native of Puerto Rico, said the show provides love and motivation for the senior community. Born in Bayamรณn, Puerto Rico, Luz Rivera Marrero was raised in a family of musicians. It was on her beloved island where she studied at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico to become a classical soprano singer. A year after arriving in Florida, the family moved with their young son to Orange County.
Orlando barber from Puerto Rico recounts his time in NBA bubble
Padilla has been cutting hair for 22 years now. He says his Puerto Rican heritage played a huge role in him getting to where heโs at. โWhat made me start being a barber was growing up around the industry and my grandfather motivating me to follow his steps,โ said Padilla. Like the players, he had a daily routine which started very early in the morning. Padilla says his time in the bubble also allowed him time to focus and grow his business.
The difference between Latinx, Hispanic and Spanish
Most people are used to hearing Hispanic and Latino, some default to Spanish and others are now getting accustomed to the term Latinx. REMEMBER: If theyโre from Latin America, theyโre Latino or LatinxLatinx(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. REMEMBER: If they speak Spanish, theyโre likely HispanicSpanishA Spanish flags flies at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. REMEMBER: If theyโre from Spain, theyโre Spanish. If theyโre not from Spain -- theyโre not Spanish.
Feel the rhythm of Hispanic Heritage Month with this playlist
ORLANDO, Fla. โ They say thereโs no better way to learn about a culture than to immerse yourself in it -- so this Hispanic Heritage Month, feel the rhythm of the music that dominates in the Latin community. [HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH: 56 influential Hispanic-Americans in photos | This Central Florida Latina has the world painted on her skin]Whether youโre a fan of traditional salsa, merengue, Caribbean dancehall or musica urbana -- thereโs a song for everyone. Conga by Gloria Estefan, Miami Sound MachineCuban-American singer and now well-known businesswoman Gloria Estefan first found her fame with party-starting hits like Conga. Stand By Me by Prince RoyceA Spanglish twist to a familiar English hit, Dominican-American bachata star Prince Royce has made exclusive appearances in Central Florida. Make sure to check out other Hispanic Heritage Month stories at clickorlando.com/hispanicheritage.
Helping others avoid hunger is common denominator for team at Second Harvest
In Florida, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, provides food to more than 550 food banks across Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties. In 1992, he decided to join a local food bank. Today, 28 years after starting his journey to help others, heโs the Director of Operations for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. No matter what it is.โSince the start of the pandemic, Second Harvest Food Bank has distributed about 41 million meals in almost 7 months. โI see a lot of folks out there where theyโre in need and by me being in here I could do something to help,โ Robledo, a father of two, said.
โDo not talk, be quiet, they are listening.โ Dr. Raul Pino recalls foiled escape from Cuba
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. โ During the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Raul Pino has become a household name as one of the top medical leaders in Orange County. โI remember her diagnosing pregnancies, treating stomach aches, treating wounds, treating people for headaches or hiccups,โ he said. The whole thing is fascinating.โDr. Raul Pino attending the baptism of one of his children (Courtesy: Dr. Raul Pino, Copyright WKMG, ClickOrlando.com)Pino went to medical school in Cuba and said thatโs where he wanted to learn more about treating burn victims. She said, โDo not talk, be quiet, they are listening, do not leave, they are waiting for you.โ I almost had instant diarrhea. Dr. Raul Pino with his children (Courtesy: Dr. Raul Pino, Copyright WKMG, ClickOrlando.com)He said a friend told him about a program offered by the United States Embassy by which people who were kicked out of their jobs or were government dissenters could be relocated to the United States.
City leaders feed 180 Orlando families struggling during COVID-19 pandemic
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Orlando city leaders delivered free meals to nearly 200 families and residents who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Orlando City Commissioner Tony Ortiz said this was a celebration even during difficult times. But he said they werenโt going to let the pandemic stop them. Instead, the city teamed up with Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida to help feed 180 families struggling to make ends meet. Families who need food assistance can find a food pantry near them by clicking here.
โHeart to heart:โ Orlando doctor provides free care, meals through pandemic
โDe Corazon a Corazon is heart to heart. But then COVID-19 came in and โDe Corazon a Corazonโ had a new community to reach, right here at home. She said some of these families work in hospitality and have either lost their jobs or homes in the last several months. Itโs why Dr. Gonzalez was one of only four people the City of Orlando has designated as an unsung hero during Hispanic Heritage Month. Gonzรกlez has provided free meals and healthcare services to marginalized communities in Central Florida during the pandemic by participating in free health fairs.
This Central Florida Latina has the world painted on her skin
ORANDO, Fla. โ Ash Soto says she has the world painted on her body, but she wasnโt always so confident in showing it. The 25-year-old lives with vitiligo, a skin condition in which oneโs skin cells stop functioning, causing the person to lose pigmentation. Those with vitiligo are often seen with white blotches or patches of skin that appear with patches of their original skin tone. Thereโs no way of predicting how much skin will be affected or a proven way to stop it, according to dermatologists. You have to embrace those big hips, vitiligo, or whatever the case may be because your skin tells a story.
Puerto Rican coalition pushing Hispanic community to vote
In fact, he voted for the first time four years ago and as a Nicaraguan-American, he is looking forward to seeing more Hispanics vote this time around. โEspecially around this area we have so many Hispanics so for them to actually go register and go vote it makes a difference. The goal for the campaign is to motivate more Puerto Ricans and Hispanics in Central Florida to cast their vote. โDuring the 2018 election cycle, Puerto Ricans came out in record numbers in Central Florida,โ Alex Barrio with Respecta Mi Gente said. Julian Loaiza, from Colombia, said this is the opportunity for all people to embrace the right to vote.
Did you know Central Florida is a hot spot for Brazilian investors, tourists?
ORLANDO, Fla. โ Central Florida has become a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, one of the most influential communities is the Brazilian community. They are investing some serious money in Central Florida so there is a lot of business and investment in real estate and other things,โ Almeida said. Pre-COVID, Central Florida was a hot spot for Brazilian tourists -- it wasnโt unusual to see theme parks with large groups from Brazil. And an increasing number of Brazilians are starting to call Central Florida home. โAnd Central Florida is a big melting pot and I love that about this city how we are so different but yet weโre so blended.โFor more Somos Central Florida stories, check out clickorlando.com/hispanicheritage.
Group raising $50,000 to send science kits to schools in South America, Caribbean
ORLANDO, Fla. โ A group of passionate science communicators from around the world are working to bring science supplies to students in South America and the Caribbean and one of the group members plans to fly down the supplies once itโs all said and done. โThat was kind of the kick that I needed to work for the space industry. Melendez-Misner and other Latinas in the group will be part of YouTube talk soon where girls and young woman can ask questions about engineering. Some of the STEM communicators and professionals involved in the Passage fundraiser to send supplies to students in South America and the Caribbean. Of the 20-some people involved, each one has signed up to teach a MasterClass for $25 donors, Melendez-Misner said.
Bone marrow donor, recipient share their story to raise awareness among Hispanics, Latinos
โWhen I first found out that news I was like, โThis man is really gonna save my life,โโ Sean Carmona said. Carmona, a native of South Florida, said once doctors diagnosed him, they soon knew he would need a bone marrow transplant. โWhen you first hear about that, you know, they tell you about the risks that, you know, sometimes you might not even be able to find a match,โ Carmona said. Words really canโt describe how grateful I am to be in this position and to help someone in their lives,โ Rivera said. The event will do a showing of the moment Carmona and Rivera met for the first time.
โI feel a sense of duty:' Recruiters note influx of Hispanics enlisting in U.S. Army
He enlisted in the U.S. Army when he was 23 years old taking the first step in his military career. We have a majority of people enlisted out of this office are Hispanics,โ Castillo explained. In fact, Castillo said 22% of Hispanic females and 17% of Hispanic males are serving in the U.S. Army. News 6 was there as Jose Luis Reategui arrived at the recruiting office on Monday morning. Sergeant First Class Isaac Ayala, also a U.S. Army recruiter, is from New York though his parents came from Puerto Rico.
Commissioners urge Hispanic, Latino communities to fill out census ahead of deadline
Two Orange County commissioners made a call to action to the Hispanic and Latino communities in an effort to change the statists when it comes to the 2020 U.S. Census. โJust 1970 is when the census actually started counting Hispanics but what we noticed over the years is traditionally African Americans and Hispanic communities are undercounted,โ Mayra Uribe, Orange County Commissioner for District 3 said. Orange County government said while people are focused on their jobs, health, and families, they need to be reminded of the importance of responding to the 2020 U.S. census. Orange County government set up seven computer kiosks inside seven different community centers in the county. The centers will be open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.Those needing to visit a census location can visit one of the following sites:
Hurricane Maria recovery efforts continue in Puerto Rico 3 years later
PUERTO RICO โ On Wednesday, FEMA reported nearly $7.3 billion approved to help rebuild Puerto Ricoโs critical infrastructure and historical buildings still damaged from Hurricane Maria in 2017. FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2017, file photo, debris scatters a destroyed community in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico. Since Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico canโt seem to catch a break. We have reminders and continue to have reminders about the fragility of the system in Puerto Rico,โ Dr. Rivera said. He said the Puerto Rico Research Hub is studying how communities who take people in after major events responded.
Puerto Rican community thrives economically among Central Floridaโs melting pot of Hispanics, Latinos
โThe Puerto Rican population in Central Florida is huge and continues to grow,โ Dr. Luis Martรญnez Fernรกndez, a UCF history professor and author said. Martรญnez Fernรกndez estimates about 300,000 Puerto Ricans, or Boricuas as they are called, have called Central Florida home since the 1970s. โPart of it had to do with veterans who were retiring and moved to this area,โ Martรญnez Fernรกndez said. For Martรญnez Fernรกndez, Hispanic Heritage Month should be a time to look past the stereotypes of Latinos. Somos Central Florida -- We Are Central Florida -- recognizes how history has shaped the heritage here in Florida and the culture thatโs creating the future.
โWhat else can I do for my race?:โ DeLand research facility recruiting minorities for COVID-19 vaccine trials
DeLAND, Fla. โ A DeLand research facility is actively recruiting minority participants for its COVID-19 vaccine trials because study officials said they are currently underrepresented. Heโs serving again in hopes of helping researchers find a COVID-19 vaccine. The facility is actively recruiting participants like Rivera and trying to get minorities to take part in the study. Rankin said minorities need to participate so researchers can get a better understanding of how a vaccine can help. โBy participating in research like this and then being a Hispanic, what else can I do for my race?,โ Rivera said.