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El Instituto de Estudios Comunitarios de la Florida, Inc. FICS Newsletter * Volume 1, #1, January 2003 FICS takes a unique community-centered and holistic approach to research, service and education/training through public-private collaborations to respond to unmet needs in Florida. Welcome to the first newsletter of the Florida Institute for Community Studies, or as we call it, FICS. We are very glad to share some of the highlights of 2002 and the beginning of 2003 with you and hope that this information is useful to you.
Milestones of the past year: February: We received the letter from the IRS confirming that we had been approved as a 501 C 3 tax exempt organization
March: FICS staff conducted research in Homestead on family planning. 
June: 2nd Annual Dia del Padre, sponsored by our Pocos Hijos Para Darles Mas program, with awards to four Exemplary Fathers from south Hillsborough County (Hipolito Avalos, Gustavo Gamez, Santos Vela and Miguel Hernandez). This photos shows Mr. Hipolito Avalos and daughter Elva receiving the Exemplary Father 2002 Award from Juan Gomez and Exemplary Father 2001 Irving Castillo, who nominated him.
FICS was invited to present a proto-type ideal program to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, GA. We call this program Vivir Mejor (more later). This picture features, left to right, Alayne, Rebeca Lee-Pethel, CDC (who invited us), Yvette Vasquez and Juan in front of the CDC’s museum.
 September: FICS and Rural Youth Soccer Association participated in the annual Dia de la Independencia de Mexico parade in Wimauma (see RYSA kids on float here). We also worked with La Estancia residents, whose rents were increased up to $300 per month. Organized USF Hispanic Heritage Event with the USF Center for Migrant Education in which 14 farmworker youth ages 15 through 21 discussed their lives, including our own staff person Yvette Vasquez. This event was videotaped and aired on Tampa Bay Community Network. We have a copy in our library should you want to view it.
 October: Together with the USF Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Mexican American Student Association and LULAC, FICS organized a special USF Hispanic Heritage event that featured the Coalition of ImmokaleeWorkers ,who spoke to approximately 40 students, activists and university personnel. The Coalition got everyone involved in the discussion by having participants work together in a skit that explained the plight of tomato pickers and then they showed an video on their cross-country 2002 Taco Bell Truth Tour. This video is now part of FICS’ library and we invite you to view it!
We received word that our SAMHSA planning grant proposal targeting HIV and Substance Abuse Prevention with three areas of unincorporated Hillsborough County had been approved! Juan and Alayne also attended the East Coast Migrant Health Forum in Savannah, GA, where Alayne presented on research with farmworkers.
 November: SAMHSA held their new grantee meeting in Washington DC at the Capital Hilton and we had a wonderful time enjoying the sights and meeting other grantees. FICS also worked with LULAC, the Wimauma Iglesia de Dios, La Estancia, Redlands Christian Migrant Association and the Centro Asturiano in bringing about 70 persons to the Centro Asturiano for a tour and a special peek at the very impressive “Lost Villages of Spain” Exhibit at the Centro. The youth did make the connection between the mass migration of Spaniards to the US and thier own parents’ trek to Florida in search of work and a better life. LULAC provided ice cream and the children listened intently to Doña Matilda Martinez Garcia, as she talked about growing up in Tampa as the child of Spanish immigrants. As usual, she was a hit with the children! Thanks Doña Matilda and the Centro Asturiano’s Willie Garcia!
 December: FICS had it’s Open House. Barely in our new offices three weeks, everything was a go for our “official birth” on 12/18. We had quite a good turn-out, live music and a press conference. We were able to recognize the wonderful work of Mr. Jack Levine from Holland and Knight (photo at right) who has helped us so much with setting up the non- profit status for FICS and also for the donation of snazzy “H+K” type furniture!
Based on the Open House, FICS has raised approximately $700 so far, which we are getting matched by Wal-Mart. We would like to have about $300 more so we can have the full $1000 that Wal-Mart will match to nonprofit organizations on a yearly basis. 
WMNF Community Radio, together with Latin artist Bobby Ramirez, held a fundraiser and collected About $450 and about 100 toys for our children in the RYSA and Pocos Hijos programs. Thanks to Bobby Ramirez, Speedy Gonzalez and Maggie Council for their heart and help!
January ‘03: The 2nd Annual Pocos Hijos Para Darles Mas, Dia de los Reyes Magos was held in Wimauma on 1/5. This event marks the traditional day that Mexicans have celebrated gift-giving, because it is the day that the 3 Wise Men arrived from the East bringing presents to the baby Jesus. History was made this year, not only in the number of people in attendance, nor the quantities of toys and soccer balls but in the amazing collaboration between the Wimauma Iglesia de Dios and the Catholic Iglesia de Guadalupe choirs and youth groups. There were two plays, lots of music and the traditional ROSCA, held by Rosa Velazquez, RYSA Registrar (Rosca is Mexican sweet bread eaten only on 1/6). PROYECTO PREVENTION 2003  Meet the staff: left to right, are our staff members who will be working on the SAMHSA grant and continuing with Pocos Hijos Para Darles Mas: Eduam Murati, Ramon Martinez, Yvette Vasquez, Elida Garza and Juan Gomez. We have been hard at work getting everyone hired, trained and on-board. Proyecto Prevención 2003 focuses on three sites in unincorporated Hillsborough County (Dover/Plant City, Wimauma/Ruskin and Town N Country). Our two site coordinators are Ramon Martinez (Town N Country) and Juan Gomez (Dover / Plant City and Wimauma/Ruskin).
VIVIR MEJOR/Live Better  Vivir Mejor is our newest project and has just gotten funded by the Gulfcoast Area Health Education Centers. Vivir Mejor goes beyond our Pocos Hijos project to encompass all forms of community based education on preventive health issues related to cardiovascular health, HIV, adolescent health, substance abuse, violence, well woman, well man and well child care. We will be starting with cardiovascular health education in south Hillsborough County, which will encompass peer outreach, classes using the Focus curriculum and radio. Hopefully we will be able to expand Vivir Mejor in the coming months. At right is our description of how Vivir Mejor will work in South county. FICS Board of Directors
Gloria Vales, RN, Chair Jose Blanco, PhD Alayne Unterberger, MA, President Ann Cranston-Gingris, PhD Guadalupe Lamas, Vice President Matilda Martinez Garcia John Wills, Comptroller/Secretary Jim Hosler Margarita Gonzalez Dorothy Parker, MHS Richard Ryan
 Would you like to volunteer? We need you! Webmaster, Soccer coaches and assistants (RYSA), Newsletter Editor, Researchers & Office assistance(answering phones, etc) All donations are tax deductible! FICS Open House: l-r, Michele Scavnicky (Health Councils), Christian Reed (USF Anthro/Public Health), Dr. Larry Simpson (USF Public Health), Barbara Clarke, Moira Freedman (Hills. Co. Health Dept.), Edith Ellerson (Hills. Co. Health Dept.), Dr. Alvin Wolfe (USF Anthro.), Cassandra Workman (FL AIDS Action), Gloria Vales (Chair, FICS Board, USF). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Florida Institute for Community Studies 202 S. 22nd Street Suite 106 Tampa, FL 33605 |