Yvette Malavet-Blum's Songs of Love and Hope

Yvette Malavet-Blum sings about her life and heritage in "Latin Rhythms: Songs of Love and Hope" at two Long Island libraries this month and at Manhattan's Triad Theatre, 158 W. 72nd St., at 5:30 p.m. on February 10.

A Shoreham resident, Ms. Malavet-Blum will be backed by two other Long Islanders - pianist Robert Boutcher and percussionist Brian Wishin.

She'll be at Montauk Library, 871 Montauk Hwy., at 3:30 p.m. next Sunday and at Northport-East Northport Library, 151 Laurel Ave., Northport, at 2 p.m. January 13.

Both performances are free.

Source: LI Newsday

Sebastián's Christmas Gift

Sebastián Jiménez Piña, the 5-year-old boy from Peru whose family got a "Christmas miracle" when they landed visas to come here so his cancerous brain tumor could be treated, has undergone surgery at Schneider Children's Hospital.

Newsday Photo: Sebastian Jimenez with Congressman Steve Israel who made arrangement to bring Sebastian to the U.S. with an emergency visa for a tumor operation at Schneider's Children Hospital.

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Adolfo Carrión Jr.: The Most Powerful?

Long Island has a growing cadre of talented Latino political leaders.

Vivian Viloria Fisher of Seatuket, David Mejias of Hickville, Phil Ramos of Brentwood, Ricardo Montano of Central Islip, Mark Bonilla of Hempstead and Nydia Velasquez of Brooklyn are some the stars.

However, if things go according to plan, the most powerful Latino on Long Island come January 1, 2010 may hail from a different island and may never reside on Long Island proper.

He's Adolfo Carrión Jr., the current Bronx borough president--and a resident of City Island.

That's right.

Carrión recently announced that he will run for NYC Comptroller in 2009.

If successful in his bid, Comptroller Carrión would oversee NYC's massive $60 billion budget, $50 billion capital plan and $100 billion+ in pension funds--a chunk of which directly and indirectly impacts residents and businesses in Queens, Brooklyn and beyond.

Related: Carrión to Run for Comptroller in 2009
Official Biography of Adolfo Carrión Jr.

Breast cancer gene puts Latinas at risk

A gene known to give many Jewish women a high risk of cancer also puts many Hispanic women at high risk, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

They found that 3.5 percent of Hispanic women entered in a Northern California breast cancer registry had the BRCA1 genetic mutation, compared to 8.3 percent of Ashkenazic Jews and 2.2 percent of non-Ashkenazic white women.

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Related:
NIH: Breast Cancer
North Shore LIJ: Breast Health
NYS Department of Health: About Breast Cancer

Las Posadas on Long Island

Last week, at a house on a Riverhead cul-de-sac, Ed and Emily Wiegand appeared to be hosting the quintessential Christmas party: Their spacious home was festively decorated with lights, a Christmas tree and porcelain statues of Mary and Joseph. At their front door, they greeted old friends, neighbors and fellow congregants from St. John the Evangelist Church, bearing gifts of food and drink.

But this was not a Christmas party, in the usual sense. The Wiegands opened their home to Latinos and other members of the community alike for Las Posadas. Spanish for "the inns," it's a ritual traditionally celebrated in Latin nations- from Dec. 16 to Christmas Eve.

Each night of the observance, a small congregation meets at the home of a fellow parishioner to commemorate Mary's and Joseph's trials as they searched for an inn in Bethlehem before Jesus' birth.

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Dr. George Sanchez's Smart Moves for Briarcliffe College

President George Sanchez tells Long Island Business News of Briarcliffe College's latest initiatives:

1) an entrepreneurship track within its popular business management degree program; and
2) a stepped up effort to enroll Latino students.

Smart strategy. Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic population on Long Island and entrepreneurship is what creates jobs, wealth and a brighter Long Island future.

Related: Two minutes with George Santiago

Hispanic College Fund Call for Applicants

Scholarship applications for the 2008-2009 academic year are available online at http://www.hispanicfund.org/.

Scholarship amounts range from $500 - $10,000 and are for one-year only. All scholarship recipients must re-apply each year. The average scholarship awarded is $3,000.

Applications are ONLINE and require an essay, resumé and letter of recommendation. We do not accept any paper applications. Deadlines for our scholarships vary from February 1st, 2008 to March 15th, 2008.

The Hispanic College Fund offers several scholarships through its scholarship program. You must plan to attend a college or a university as a full-time student for the entire academic year in order to be eligible for a Hispanic College Fund scholarship. Only students who are U.S. citizen or permanent resident residing in the United States or Puerto Rico and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 are eligible.

In 2007 the Hispanic College Fund awarded over $1.8 million in scholarships to 615 students.

To learn more go to http://www.HispanicFund.org and begin your application!

GOOOOOOL!! Fútbol takes root on Long Island

Fútbol or soccer--a true world sport--is finally taking root on Long Island.

Not only is it the nost popular girls sport in suburbia, but Latino immigrants have brought the spirited international version to fields across Long Island.

Leagues have formed sponsoring weekend competitions for men, women and children from Corona to Montauk.

The largest league serving Nassau and Suffolk, Long Island Hispanic Soccer Federation, fields 64 mens teams (18 yrs+) and 8 teams for young women ages 15-21. The season runs April through November with games held Sundays at various venues throughout the two counties.

Long Island Hispanic Soccer Federation
135 Elizabeth Ave.
Hempstead, NY
516-902-8733 (Englis/Spanish)
516-376-7426 (Spanish)
E-mail address: supersonido3@aol.com