Latino New York Magazine

LATINO NEW YORK I P. I FEB 2011

FAITH TAKES of Mildred Elley Is A Role Model

For Success

HIGHER EDUCATION

Vital Path To Student Success

Working full-time & running a business : Burning the candle On both ends

DANIELA CORVALANThe Busiest Latina

You’ve Never Heard Of…Until Now

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LATINO NEW YORK I P. 1 FEB 2011

P. 2 FEB 2011 I LATINO NEW YORK

Dear readers:

Recently I sat down with my friend Rosie Villa to try to convince her to share with our readers some of her wisdom and experiences. In spite of my persuasive arguments she told me that she was busy but hoped to be part of an article this spring. In this same meeting, however, she briefly shared with me the heart-wrenching story of her mother.

You see, Rosie’s mother was in a car accident in Colombia some years ago. As a result of this accident, her mother literally lost her face. She was in a coma for more than a year. The ordeal also left her blind. Since the accident Rosie has done everything imaginable to get her mother a face. She has consulted with medical experts from all over the world without success.

The problem is not that the technology for a face transplant is not available (you may recall a person getting a transplant a few years ago in France.) It is. In Rosie’s mother case, however, the “organ” is not available. As a Latina, her mother’s genetic make-up is unique. This uniqueness stems from the genotype mixture of our people, which makes it difficult to find an organ donation from a matching donor. In the many years since the accident, no donor has been found to match her genetic profile.

Queridos Lectores:

Recientemente me senté con mi amiga Rosie Villa para tratar de convencerla en compartir con nuestros lectores algo de su sabiduría y experiencias. A pesar de mis argumentos persuasivos me dijo que estaba ocupada, pero espera ser parte de un artículo en esta primavera. En esta misma sesión, sin embargo, brevemente compartió conmigo la historia desgarradora de su madre.

La madre de Rosie tuvo un trágico accidente automovilístico muchos años atrás en su nativa Colombia en Sur América. Como resultado de este accidente, su madre, literalmente, perdió su rostro. Ella estuvo en coma durante más de un año. Este accidente también la dejó ciega. Desde el accidente Rosie ha hecho todo lo imaginable para conseguirle un rostro a su madre. Se ha consultado con expertos médicos de todo el mundo sin éxito.

El problema no es que la tecnología para un trasplante de rostro no está disponible (se puede recordar una persona que recibió un trasplante del rostro hace unos años en Francia.) Existe. En el caso de la madre de Rosie, sin embargo, el órgano no está disponible. Como latina, su estructura genetica es un tanto única. Esta singularidad se debe a la mezcla de genotipos de nuestro pueblo, lo que hace difícil encontrar una donación de órganos de un donante compatible. En los muchos años desde el accidente, ningún donante se ha encontrado para que coincida con su perfil genético.

Rosie has made a commitment to her mother that she will not die without a face. When asked how people can help, she quickly said we need to ask our fellow Hispanics to register as organ donors. Because of cultural and religious beliefs, Latinos have the lowest rate of organ donation in the United States. It is difficult to break away from so many years tof tradition.

Early this month I was invited to a reception sponsored by The National Kidney Foundation of Northeast New York to honor Dr. David Conti. Dr. Conti is a nationally recognized transplant surgeon and director of Albany Medical Center’s Transplant Program. This event also highlighted the urgency of organ donation and transplantation. I urge you to consider organ donation as another way of giving back to the community. I am. The organ you donate is a life you save.

By the way, Rosie is presently working on having the Discovery Channel do a documentary on her mother and promised to do a series of articles on her for the magazine. She is also planning to write a book.

Thank you Rosie, it is nice to have you with us in this community.I hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

Juan J. GeorgePublisher

Rosie se ha comprometido con su madre a que ella no morirá sin rostro. Cuando le pregunte cómo podríamos ayudar para que ella logre su objetivo, ella se apresuró a decir que tenemos que pedir a nuestra comunidad Hispana a registrarse como donantes de órganos. Debido a las creencias culturales y religiosas, los latinos tienen el índice más bajo de la donación de órganos en los Estados Unidos. Es difícil romper con tantos años de tradición.

A principios de este mes fui invitado a una recepción patrocinada por la Fundación Nacional del Riñón del noreste de Nueva York en honor al Dr. David Conti. El Dr. Conti es un cirujano de trasplantes reconocido a nivel nacional y director del Programa de Trasplante de Albany Medical Center. En este evento también se destacó la urgencia de la donación y el trasplante de órganos. Les insto a que consideren la donación de órganos como otra manera de contribuir a la comunidad. Yo me voy a inscribir de inmediato. El órgano que vas a donar es una vida que puedes salvar.

Por cierto, Rosie está trabajando actualmente con el Discovery Channel para ver si a ellos les interesaría hacer un documental sobre su madre para informarle al público lo crítico del caso. También se comprometió a hacer una serie de artículos sobre su madre para la revista. Ella también está planeando escribir un libro.

Gracias Rosie, es bueno tenerte con nosotros en esta comunidad.

Espero que disfruten la presente edición tanto como nosotros la disfrutamos armando.

Juan J. GeorgeEditor


6 HIGHER EDUCATION: VITAL PATH TO STUDENT SUCCESS •MARÍA NEIRA Educación Superior: Ruta vital para el éxito del estudiante

11 FRANK GALLO & SON-FLORIST, A SWEET EXPRESSION OF LOVE •NEFSI KNIGHT

12 DANIELA CORVALAN: THE BUSIEST LATINA YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF…UNTIL NOW •MICHAELFONDACARO

15 A QUICK READ ON WHAT JOB SEEKERS NEED TO KNOW •MICHAELGUTIERREZ

17 REMEMBERING MY BROTHER BILL •JOSEPHGAGEN

18 COVER: SUCCESS TAKES FAITH FAITH TAKES OF MILDRED ELLEY IS A ROLE MODEL FOR SUCCESS

•JUANGEORGE El éxito requiere Fe: Faith Takes de

Mildred Elley es un modelo a seguir para lograr el éxito

25 WORKING FULL-TIME AND RUNNING A BUSINESS: BURNING THE CANDLE ON BOTH ENDS • ME’SHAEBROOKS-ROLLING

28 SOCIAL EVENTS

32 RAMONA COLÓN AGRÓN SAPIO A Life of Love, “La Familia” and Legacy


If you have any comments or suggestion please send them to [email protected] or by calling at: (518) 438-2875

Si desea enviarnos sus comentarios o sugerencias, por favor envíelos a [email protected] o llamando al telefono (518) 438-2875


Higher Education vital path

to student success

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During the cold, dark days of February, it can sometimes feel as though winter will never end. Tired of the snow, slush and overall murky weather, we eagerly await the first hints of spring. Luckily, in just a few short weeks, warmer weather and brighter skies will arrive.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be forecast for the funding crisis at SUNY, CUNY and community colleges throughout New York state — the outlook remains bleak. Since 2008, these distinguished institutions of higher learning have faced nearly $1 billion in cuts. And, although we can’t ignore the fact that our state’s overall economic situation is troubled, the cuts are unfairly disproportionate when you compare them to reductions at other state agencies for the same period.

Cutbacks like these hit our community hard, since many of our students depend on state-operated schools as an affordable and accessible route to a college degree. Community colleges, in particular, are important since they not only help first-time students prepare for today’s high-tech job market, but retrain displaced workers striving to re-enter the work force.

This is particularly important to Latinos. According to an economic report published by the New York Times, we have been negatively impacted by the nation’s recession more than any other ethnic group.

This month, as Latino New York Magazine salutes the accomplishments of today’s Latino business professionals, let’s work to make sure the tools needed for tomorrow’s businessmen and women aren’t cast by the wayside. Let’s make our voices heard in support of adequately funding New York state’s education system, including SUNY, CUNY and our community colleges.

They are essential not only to New York state’s immediate economic recovery, but also to its long-term fiscal strength; and to our students as they strive to better prepare themselves, economically, for the future.

NYSUT will continue fighting to ensure New York’s public colleges and universities receive the resources they need to help our students succeed. And I encourage you to also keep abreast of this vital issue. Stay informed. Reach out to your legislators. Let your lawmakers know public colleges and universities are important to you. The future success of New York state’s students depends on it.

Maria Neira, a former bilingual elementary school teacher, is Vice President of the 600,000-member New York State United Teachers NYSUT.

Photos:(Upperleft)SUNYSystemAdministrationBuilding/DelawareandHudsonRailroadCompanyBuildinginAlbany,NewYork.(Left)UniversityatAlbanyFountain.(Right)CUNYCityCollegeofNewYork,NYC,ShepherdHallCCNY.

Let’s work to make sure the tools needed for tomorrow’s businessmen and women aren’t cast by the wayside.

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Durante los días fríos y oscuros de febrero, por momentos siento como si el invierno no tuviera fin. Cansados de la nieve, aguanieve y el tiempo turbio en general, esperamos con impaciencia los primeros indicios de la primavera. Por suerte, en sólo unas pocas semanas, un tiempo más caliente y un cielo más brillante llegarán.

Por desgracia, lo mismo no se puede pronosticar sobre la crisis de financiación en SUNY, CUNY y otras universidades a lo largo del estado de Nueva York - las perspectivas siguen siendo sombrías. Desde el año 2008, estas distinguidas instituciones de educación superior se han enfrentado a casi mil millones de dólares en recortes. Y, aunque no podemos ignorar el hecho de que en nuestro Estado la situación económica general está en problemas, los cortes son injustamente despropor-cionada cuando se compara con reducciones en otras agencias estatales para el mismo período.

Recortes como estos, son un duro golpe a nuestra comunidad, ya que muchos de nuestros estudiantes dependen de las escuelas operadas por el estado como una ruta asequible y accesible a un título universitario. Los colegios comunitarios, en particular, son importantes ya que no sólo ayudan a los estu-diantes a prepararse para el actual mercado laboral de alta tecnología, sino que otorgan nuevos entrenamientos a trabajadores que han perdido sus empleos, para que vuelvan a entrar a la fuerza laboral.

Esto es particularmente importante para los latinos. De acuerdo con un informe económico publicado por el New York Times, hemos sido el grupo más afectado negati-vamente por la recesión de la nación, que cualquier otro grupo étnico.

Este mes, como Latino New York Magazine honra los logros de los profesionales latinos en los negocios , vamos a trabajar para asegurarnos que las herra-mientas necesarias para los empresarios del mañana no se queden por fuera del camino. Vamos a hacer oír nuestra voz en apoyo de la adecuada financiación del sistema de educación del Estado de Nueva York, incluido SUNY, CUNY y demás universidades.

Estas instituciones son esen-ciales no sólo para la recuper-ación económica inmediata del Estado, sino también para fortalecerlo fiscalmente a largo plazo; y para nuestros estudi-antes en sus esfuerzos para prepararse mejor, económica-mente, para el futuro.

NYSUT continuará luchando para garantizar que las univer-sidades públicas de Nueva York reciban los recursos necesarios para ayudar a nuestros estudi-antes a tener éxito. Y los animo a seguir también al tanto de este tema vital. Manténgase informados. Acérquense a sus legisladores. Déjenles saber a sus legisladores que los cole-gios y universidades públicas son importantes para usted. El éxito futuro de los estudi-antes del estado de Nueva York depende de ello.

Educación Superior ruta vital para

el éxito del estudiante

Vamos a hacer oír nuestra

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Valentine’s Day quickly approaching. I instantly thought to speak to our friends at Frank Gallo Jr. and Sons about what I believed was their busiest time of year. But after checking out their website at (www.frankgallo.com) I quickly realized how much more flowers were an important part of everyday.

Flowers not only help families celebrate new life but also provide condolences for families in mourning. They provide the finishing and everlasting touches at a wedding, christening or with a corsage. They say I love you, thank you or happy birthday all with one gift. So the next time that you are having a bad day or want to show a loved one how important they are, keep our friends at Frank Gallo Jr. and Sons in mind.

By Nefsi Knight

A SweetExpression

of Love“ Flowers make a great gift because they are relatively inexpensive”(Frank Gallo Jr. and Sons)

“ Some customers send a specific color rose because that is the favorite color of the person or others follow rules like red for love and pink

for friendship” (Frank Gallo Jr. and Sons)

“ The life of flowers can be prolonged by re-cutting the stems of the flowers, changing the water in the vase or using floral preservatives.”

(Frank Gallo Jr. and Sons)


It was nothing but appropriate that as I was getting ready to meet Dan-iela Corvalan for an interview, she told me that the message I had left her earlier in the day was one of 17 she received. Thus, the perfect way to describe her, always busy.

Energetic would be another fitting adjective. A native of Santiago de Chile, she says, “(When I have too much downtime, I don’t know what to do with myself.”

Today, Daniela is a Sales Representative at Fort Orange Press in Albany, overseeing countless aspects of business development and project management. (For the sake of disclosure, Fort Orange Press publishes Latino New York.)

Daniela’s work ethic and drive to succeed came from her parents. Her father Daniel left the uncertainly of the Chilean economy under Augusto

Pinochet in the 1980s to work at the famed Nevele resort located in the Catskill Mountains.

Along with her uncle, he worked non-stop in the kitchen for a year before Daniela, her mother Victoria Martinez, sister Mireya and several other extended family members joined them.

As a six-year old in ESL class, with a limited ability to speak English and father unable to help her, her father would go to bars after a long day at work not to drink, but to ask peers about her homework. The following morning, dad would impart on Daniela what he had learned. In three short months, she was able to communicate in English with all of her fellow students.

After graduating from Ellenville High School, Daniela attended the State University of New York at Plattsburgh. After life in the Andes and the Hudson Valley, she found the winters there “interesting. It was so windy; I had to run with the wind, because otherwise I felt I would be taken with it.”

While some students had a major and a minor, Daniela decided that that wasn’t enough. She decided to major in International Business, with concentrations in Marketing, Accounting and Spanish. She was already making an impact there, being hired as one of the few freshmen resident assistants in the school’s history when her father died.

She credited Bryan Hartman, the Director of Residence Life of SUNY-Plattsburgh, for helping her through a difficult time by telling her she could take the time she needed to recover from her father’s passing.

P. 12 JAN 2011 I LATINO NEW YORK

DANIELA CORVALAN:

THE BUSIEST LATINA YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF…UNTIL NOW

By Michael Fondacaro

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DANIELA CORVALAN:


By Michael Fondacaro

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For his part, on a campus of thousands of students, Hartman still fondly remembers Daniela seven years after her graduation.

“Daniela stood out amongst her peers due to her maturity, her dedication and work ethic, and her pleasant personality. Everyone enjoyed interactions with Daniela because she was always interested in what you had to say and she treated everyone with respect… It comes as no surprise to me that she continues to be noticed for her good works and contributions to others,” Hartman said.

To this day, her father and her mother, who now owns a jewelry store in South Fallsburg, NY, remain her biggest heroes.

What brought Daniela to the Capital Region? After she graduated, she did not want to deal with the pace of New York, and instead was looking for an area where she could get to know people. Her best friend from Ellenville, Melissa Raiban, attended the University at Albany, and Daniela soon knew that this area was home.

Just like those days as a child learning about her homework from her father and then going to school, Daniela continues to keep long hours. She spends the daytime hours on the road visiting clients until the late afternoon, then coming to the office to catch up on messages and a plenty of email.

It is only a coincidence that Daniela Corvalan has lived in or near four of the world’s best known mountain ranges: the Andes, the Catskills, the Adirondacks and the Berkshires. If she had the time, she would have more than enough energy to climb many of their peaks. Who knows? Perhaps those will be among her next tasks. No one who knows her would sell her short.

Daniela at a Serendipity’s in New York City with her cousin Jessica Gonzalez (left) and goddaughter Nicole Aliste (right).

Daniela (center) at CitiField in Queens with Melissa Raiban, her friend of more than 20 years and her sister Mireya.

DANIELA CORVALAN:



Campus Director of Bryant & Stratton

As campus director of Bryant & Stratton College, Mike Gutierrez and his

team have witnessed the chal-lenges recent college graduates are facing when it comes to landing a job in their profession. In today’s economy, it takes alot more than a college degree to be guaranteed a job after graduation, which is why young graduates need all the advice then can get.

1 Be Aggressive: Get your name out there, network, send out your resume, and

when you think you’ve sent it everywhere, look for more places to send it! If you’re not doing it then someone else is!

2 Don’t Get Discouraged: If one interview doesn’t go well, or you didn’t land

an interview you really wanted that’s okay! At least you’ve gained practice and experience for the next one! Remember, Jobs ARE out there, youjust have to find them!

3Become skilled in a wide range of technology: No matter what job you

are applying for it is always an advantage to have experience in many forms of technology.

4 Transferable Skills: Take your strengths and skills you’ve learned from

previous jobs and make them stand out for potential jobs. Just because it might seem like it’s not an important skill that applies for this job, doesn’t mean you can’t make it one!

5Money Skills: In a bad economy it can’t hurt to become familiar with the

stock market! Do your research; look for the jobs with the growing markets! They are more likely to hire over those that aren’t doing well!

6 Career Training- Start out as a temp!: Work for a company once in a while to see if it’s a

good fit for you, and its great expe-rience, as well as networking!

7 Display confidence on the interview: When you’ve landed the interview

you’re half way there, now’s not the time to lack confidence! Main-tain eye contact, be polite and well spoken! Always be positive, employers can sense negativity.

8 Don’t be desperate: If you can get a part time job just to have some type of income is

better than none at all. No company wants to hire someone that appears desperate for a job!

A QUICK READ ON WHAT JOB SEEKERS

NEED TO KNOW

9 Do not use the same resume to apply for different jobs: Customize each resume specifi-

cally for the job you are applying for so you appear qualifiedfor the position in their company.

10 Practice your communica-tion skills: Practice speaking out loud to prepare yourself

for a job interview or public speaking. Also, practice writing it can help improve your grammar and communi-cating with others on print.

11 Open to relocation: Just because you have estab-lished yourself somewhere

does not mean you are stuck there. If a great opportunity comes along 3,000 miles away, take it! If it’s not for you, you can always leave, don’t decline because of location!

12Don’t be picky: If an unpaid internship comes up, try it out. Everyone has to start

somewhere and it never hurts to gain experience and meet new people.

13 Networking- Introduce your-self to everyone, hand out business cards and resumes,

communicate online and face to face. Ask friends and family members if they know of anyone who can poten-tially help you in your career. Neverburn bridges; you never know when someone can help you.

By Michael Gutierrez


Remembering my brother

Bill

My brother Bill died suddenly on July 27, 2010, of a brain aneurysm. It came as a shock to all of us, since Bill had been living with us in Albany and recuperating from a brain injury he had suffered in his home last April. He seemed to have fully recovered and was back to spending many evenings on the dance floor.

Dancing was the passion of his life. I spoke with him on the phone the day before his death. He had just returned from a week’s stay in the Dominican Republic with his longtime companion and dance partner, Sherry. He said he felt very tired and would be going to bed in his New Jersey apartment that evening. Sometime between then and the early morning hours of July 28, he suffered the aneurysm and died.

At his funeral, his children Billy and Kara remembered him as a most devoted father who never missed an opportunity to be with them after his divorce from their mother. I remembered him as the little brother of my childhood who shared the same bedroom and joined in the same adventures.

Long ago he fell in love with dancing, especially Latin dancing, and became a fixture at Latin dance clubs in the New York metro area.

He studied for many years with Eddie Dorfer -- one of the top Latin dancing instructors -- and mastered the Argentine tango. So much so that on a trip to Panama he and Sherry were invited to dance the tango on Panamanian TV.

In Albany he quickly formed friendships with many of our Latin friends and became a familiar presence at Latin dances. He loved Latin dance and culture so much that he had applied in his job at Whole Foods to be a volunteer teacher in Guatemala, but it never came to pass.

One of the places Bill visited in Albany was the Belvedere Center for treatment of victims of traumatic brain injury. He was moved by the wonderful work they were doing to help brain-injured victims get on with their lives.

At Bill’s funeral, the family asked friends and relatives to make donations to Belvedere in Bill’s memory. On Dec. 23, 2010, Belvedere honored Bill by dedicating a plaque in his memory with many family members in attendance.

By Joseph Gagen


Inthismonth’scoverstory,weareproudtointroduceyoutoFaithTakes,avisionaryeducatorandsuccessfulbusinesswomanwithadistinguishedcommitmentto

communityservice.

ShejoinsotherbusinessluminarieshonoredinrecentyearsbyLatinoNewYorkmagazine,including

TeodoroMaldonado,presidentofSaratogaNissanandJosephGomez,

presidentofGomezElectrical.

Although she is not Hispanic, Faith, who owns the Mildred Elley School and Aus-tin School of Spa Technology, has lifted the lives of many people in our com-munity. She provides job opportunities to Latinos as faculty members as well as an environment for Latino students to learn skills needed to improve the future for themselves and their families.

We first met Faith five years ago when she embarked on a major expansion for Mildred Elley. Since then our relationship has grown into a fruitful partnership. Her goal at that time was to increase the number of Latino students attending Mildred Elley and Austin’s School of Spa Technology. We think we have been successful helping her to meet that goal and will continue to do so as our relationship continues.

Faith Takes

Success Takes Faith

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OUR COVERSTORY

Faith has touched so many lives, including people with special needs. For years she has advocated for individuals living with the challenge of developmental disabilities, and is a champion of Wildwood Programs, which serves the disabled community. As a Wildwood parent, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that her son and others receive the support they need to be active and productive community members.

MildredElleyandAustin’sSchoolofSpaTechnology’snewbuildinginAlbany,NY.

Faith Takes

Success Takes Faith

“As a business leader, she constantly seeks to raise public awareness of the value of education and the important role of the non-profit sector in sustaining a healthy community. As a Board and committee member, she has been a committed, energetic volunteer who offers not only her time and resources but also her expertise and influence to Wildwood, to her faith community, to theater and arts groups, and to countless other organizations and causes that are near and dear to her heart,” says Mary Ann D. Allen, head of Wildwood Programs; Mark P. Woroby, head of Wildwood Foundation, and Tom Schreck, Director of Communications for Wildwood Programs.

Faith also is a giving and passionate advocate for the arts and social services. David Allan Miller, Music Director of the Albany Symphony, describes her as “an indispensable member of the Symphony’s Board of Directors who has worked tirelessly for our institution. She is an altogether remarkable human being, a beautiful, fiercely intelligent, deeply caring person, and an invaluable friend and mentor of mine.”

In addition, Faith has helped retrain thousands of displaced workers. When Coleco closed its doors in Amsterdam, shedding more than 3,500 workers, she helped retrain that workforce. “She was the only one in the area at that time that helped all of us turn our lives around. Through the years I am reminded if it hadn’t have been for her, I don’t know what I would have done. I had two daughters to take care of and I had to find work,” says Pat Frazier, Payroll/HR Assistant for Empire Education Corporation.

Faith, by her own example and through the education she offers, is a role model for young woman aspiring to succeed. By expanding Austin’s School of Spa Technology and enabling it to accommodate more students, “she offers the students more opportunity to pursue their careers,” says Maribel Colon, Assistant Director of Academic Programming for the school as well as a graduate. “She is there for us every time that we need her. She listens. We learn from each other. As a woman I admire her.”

of Mildred Elley is a role model for Success

FaithTakeswithsonBrianatWildwood.


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FAITH TAKES IN HER OWN WORDS

LNYM: What is your background?FT: I grew up in Guilderland N.Y., where I still live, and received my bachelor of science in business education from SUNY Albany. I earned my Master of Science in Management at Lesley University.

LNYM: How did you decide on this profession?FT: I was a frustrated teacher in the public high school system and was given an opportunity to run a program for adult women transitioning from welfare to work. Even though it paid less and was a lot more work, I took a chance because the mission of the program had great appeal to me. As soon as I started the job I knew I had found my niche.

LNYM: From your perspective, what makes a successful business person?FT: A successful business person is one who sets goals, and is able to successfully reach those goals consistently over a long period of time. It is a person who has a vision and continually works towards the development of that vision.

LNYM: How do you describe the word success?FT: I define success as helping others achieve their dreams and goals.

LNYM: How do you balance family and work?FT: This is extremely challenging for a business owner, but I think you need to find things you like to do with your family and make time to do them. The thing I have always tried to remember is that my business doesn’t define my life; if the business were gone tomorrow I would still be Faith Takes.

OUR COVERSTORY

Faith Takes of Mildred Elley

is a role model for Success

LNYM: How do you find time to do all of the things you do?FT: Keeping all the balls in the air takes organization, diligence and discipline. Sometimes when you want to just relax and hang out, you know you have to open your briefcase and catch up. You have to also have stamina and to have stamina you have to stay in shape.

LNYM: What is the secret to your success?FT: It’s not a secret, it’s just hard work.

LNYM: What can you say to our readers to encourage them to be successful?FT: Figure out what you are passionate about, and find a way to do it. Don’t worry about the money at the beginning, love what you are doing and the success will come. Don’t back down, but know what battles to fight along the way and listen to people who offer guidance. You might not take all of their suggestions, but you can learn a lot from the successes and failures of others.

LNYM: What are some of your plans for the near future?FT: We have just added a new school to our school group which makes our fifth school. I would love to add one or two more schools to our group and more importantly new and innovative training programs to the schools we already have. The message we want to get out is that education is the only way up the ladder of success and to be competitive in today’s employment market you need a new set of skills.

FaithTakesandAlbanyMajorJerryJenningsattheinaugurationofthenewAlbanycampusin2008.


NUESTRAPORTADA

LNYM: What are some of your long term plans?FT: Thinking out of the box, I would like to find a way to bring meaningful skill training to the disabled population.

LNYM: What are some of the things our community needs the most?FT: A community can never over emphasize enough to its youth the importance of education. The Latino community should continue sponsoring the great youth programming they are doing on all levels.

*El nombre de Faith Takes se traduce al Español como

Fe requerida.

Enportadadeestemes,estamosorgullososdepresentarlesaFaithTakes,unaeducadoravisionariayexitosamujerdenegociosconuncompromisodeservicioalacomunidad.Ellaseuneaotrosluminariosdenegociosaquieneshemosrecognocidosenlosúltimosañosennuestraportadadelmesdelosnegocios,incluyendoaTeodoroMaldonado,presidentedeSaratogaNissanyJosephGómez,presidentedeGómezElectrical.

Aunque no es hispana, Faith, quien es dueña de las escuelas Mildred Elley y Austin’s School of Spa Technology, ha ayudado a muchas personas en nuestra comunidad. Ella proporciona oportunidades de empleo a los latinos en calidad de miembros de la facultad, así como generando un entorno para estudiantes latinos que aprenden lo necesario para mejorar su futuro y el de sus familias.

En primer lugar, conocí a Faith hace cinco años cuando se embarcaba en una importante expansión de Mildred Elley. Desde entonces nuestra relación ha crecido hasta convertirse en una asociación fructífera. Su meta en ese momento era aumentar el número de estudiantes latinos en ambas escuelas. Mildred Elley y Austin’s School of Spa Tecnología. Creemos que hemos tenido éxito ayudándole a cumplir con ese objetivo y lo seguiremos haciendo mientras nuestra relación continúe.

Faith ha tocado a tantas vidas, incluyendo las de personas con necesidades especiales. Durante años ha abogado por las personas que viven con el reto de estar incapacitadas, y es una campeóna de los programas Wildwood, que sirven a los discapacitados. Como madre de un niño que asiste a la escuela de Wildwood, ha trabajado incansablemente para asegurar que su hijo y otros reciban el apoyo que necesitan para ser miembros activos y productivos de la comunidad.

“Como líder de negocios, busca constantemente aumentar la conciencia pública sobre el valor de la educación y el importante papel que el sector sin fines de lucro juega en el mantenimiento de una comunidad saludable. Siendo miembro de la junta de directores y el comite ejecutivo, ella ha sido una voluntaria completamente comprometida a la labor de ayuda, llena de energía, quien ofrece no sólo su tiempo y recursos, sino también su experiencia para Wildwood, a la comunidad de fe, al teatro y grupos artísticos, y a un sinnúmero de otras organizaciones y causas que están cerca de a su corazón, “dice Mary Ann D. Allen, jefe de Programas de Wildwood, Marcos P. Woroby, jefe de Wildwood Fundación, y Tom Schreck, Director de Comunicaciones de programas de Wildwood.

Faith también es una defensora apasionada de las artes y los servicios sociales. David Allan Miller, director musical de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Albany, la describe como “un miembro indispensable de la Junta Directiva de la Orquesta Sinfónica que

ha trabajado incansablemente para nuestra institución. Ella es un notable ser humano, hermosa, ferozmente inteligente, profundamente bondadosa, y una valiosa amiga y mentora.”

Además, Faith ha ayudado a capacitar a miles de trabajadores desplazados. Cuando Coleco cerró sus puertas en Amsterdam, y más de 3.500 trabajadores perdieron sus trabajos, ayudó a capacitar esa fuerza de trabajo. “Ella fue la única en la zona en ese momento que nos ayudó a todos a cambiar nuestras vidas. Recuerdo que si no hubiera sido por ella, yo no sé qué habría hecho. Tenía dos hijas que cuidar y que tenía que encontrar trabajo “, dice Pat Frazier, Asistente de Recursos Humanos para Empire Education Corporation.

Faith, por su propio ejemplo y por medio de la educación que ofrece, es un modelo a seguir para mujeres que aspiran a tener éxito. Con la ampliación de Austin’s School of Spa Technology que le permite dar cabida a más estudiantes, “ella ofrece a los estudiantes más oportunidades de seguir sus carreras”, dice Maribel Colón, Subdirectora Académica de programación de la escuela, así como una graduanda. “Ella está allí para nosotros cada vez que la necesitamos. Ella escucha. Aprendemos unos de otros. Como mujer yo la admiro. “

Faith Takes

EL ÉXITO Requiere Fe *


(Left)BiologyLab;(Center)ComputerLabindoubleclassroon;(Right)Austin’sSchoolofSpaTechnology’sClinic.(Photos courtesy of Mildred Elley)

”

”Don’t worry about the

money at the beginning, love what you are doing

and the success will come

FaithTakesandCongressmanPaulTonko

LNYM: ¿Cuál es su formación? FT: Yo crecí en Guilderland Nueva York, donde sigo viviendo, y recibí mi licenciatura en ciencias de negocios de la Universidad de Albany. Obtuve mi Maestría en Ciencias Administrativa de la Universidad de Lesley.

LNYM: ¿Cómo se decide por esta profesión? FT: Yo era una profesora frustrada con el sistema de educación de la escuela pública y tuve la oportunidad de implementar un programa para mujeres adultas en transición de asistencia publica a empleo. A pesar de que el trabajo pagaba poco y fue mucho más trabajo, me arriesgué, porque la misión del programa tenia un gran atractivo para mí. Tan pronto como comenzó el trabajo yo sabía que había encontrado mi nicho.

LNYM: tDesde su perspectiva, lo que hace que una persona de negocios exitoso?FT: Un persona de negocios exitosa es aquella que fija objetivos, y es capaz de alcanzar con éxito los objetivos de forma consistente durante un largo período de tiempo.

Es una persona que tiene una visión y trabaja continuamente en el desarrollo de esa visión.

LNYM: ¿Cómo describiría usted el éxito? FT: Yo defino el éxito como ayudar a otros a alcanzar sus sueños y metas.

LNYM: ¿Cómo equilibria familia y trabajo? FT: Esto es extremadamente difícil para un dueño de negocio, pero creo que es necesario encontrar cosas que nos gusta hacer con la familia y tener tiempo para hacerlas. Lo que siempre he tratado de recordar es que mi negocio no define mi vida, si el negocio no existe mañana yo todavía seria Faith Takes.

LNYM: ¿Cómo encuentra tiempo para hacer todas las cosas que hace? FT: Mantener todas las bolas en el aire requiere organización, constancia y disciplina. A veces, cuando quieres relajarte y pasar el rato, sabes que tiene que abrir tu maletín y ponerte al día.

Hay que tener también y resistencia y la resistencia la consigues manteniéndote en forma.

LNYM: ¿Cuál es el secreto de su éxito? FT: No existe un secreto, es sólo trabajar duro.

LNYM: ¿Qué puede decir a nuestros lectores para animarles a tener éxito? FT: Averiguar lo que te apasiona, y encontrar una manera de hacerlo. No te preocupes por el dinero al principio, ama lo que estás haciendo y el éxito llegará. No retrocedas, conoce qué batallas luchar en el proceso y escucha a las personas que ofrecen buenos consejos. No puedes tomar todas las sugerencias, pero aprende mucho de los éxitos y fracasos de los demás.

LNYM: ¿Cuáles son algunos de sus planes para el futuro cercano? FT: Hemos añadido una nueva escuela en nuestro grupo. Ahora contamos con cinco. Me gustaría añadir una o dos escuelas más a nuestro grupo.

Mas importante aun me gustaría anadir innovaciones a programas existentes. El mensaje que queremos difundir es que la educación es el único camino al éxito y para ser competitivos en el mercado laboral de hoy en día se necesita un nuevo conjunto de habilidades.

LNYM: ¿Cuáles son algunos de sus planes a largo plazo? FT: Pensar fuera de la caja, me gustaría encontrar una manera de llevar un entrenamiento significativo a la población discapacitada.

LNYM: ¿Cuáles son algunas de las cosas que nuestra comunidad más necesita?FT: Una comunidad nunca enfatiza lo suficiente en la importancia de la educación de sus jóvenes. La comunidad latina debe continuar patrocinando programas de ayuda a la juventud en todos los niveles.

Faith Takes

of Mildred Elley es un modelo a seguir para lograr el éxito

FAITH TAKES EN SUS PROPIAS PALABRAS


Do you work a full-time or part-time job? Are you also running a small business? Are you finding it challenging to balance both? Do you sometimes ask yourself, “Why do I put myself through this regimen: rising early, retiring late--burning the candle on both ends?” If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then this article will reward your attention.

1 If you’re like me, the decision to work and run a business lay primarily in the fact that

the small business has not yet reached the point of economic sustainability, such that the J-O-B pays the mortgage or rent, the car note, and the household bills. A panel of local entrepreneurs once pronounced “You’re not going to be successful unless you devote your time entirely to your busi-ness.” I simply have to disagree. I spent two years building the foundation of our business while I was technically unemployed. Regardless of how much I sought customers and clients, the finan-cial rewards of entrepreneurship were slow in coming. Therefore, I got a job to help support my household and pay the bills until the business reaches a point when it generates viable revenues. Despite the fact that I do have a full-time job, our busi-ness continues to grow and bring in supplemental revenue.

By:Me’ShaeBrooks-Rolling

Working full-time and running a business

Burning the Candle on both ends

Six key reasons entrepreneurs work a full-time or part-time job

2 The prospect of obtaining financial independence and greater control over one’s

time in the future is one of the main reasons most entrepreneurs burn the candle on both ends, even though a full-time job limits the time one can devote to her business and threatens to divide her focus.

3 Another reason employee-entrepreneurs burn the candle on both ends is to create a buffer against uncertainties. In this weak

economy, an employee can receive a stellar evaluation one day and be surprised with criti-cism the next. He has invested time and talent in the company or organization, and then he is suddenly downsized. A business can be a resource to fall back on in case the job does not work out.

It aims to enrich the context for what might sometimes feel like self-torture--the grueling paces that aspiring entrepreneurs put themselves through to grow their business while meeting immediate financial obligations. My aim is to reduce the angst associated with burning the candle on both ends and assure the reader that the extra bit of energy and effort that entrepreneurship requires will pay off in the long term.

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4 Entrepreneurs have a strong desire to fill a need in the market-place. They are visionaries. They

imagine possibilities beyond what is and focus their creative energies on what could be.

5 Tax breaks create another incen-tive to own a business. Expenses accrued in the course of doing

business may be tax-deductible or incur tax advantages. If you are thinking about entrepreneurship, consult your accountant or C.P.A. for guidance.

6 Being in the fortunate position to be able to earn money doing what one loves also motivates

one to keep her day job--but only a few blessed individuals find them-selves in this position.

Whether or not one spends his evenings and weekends growing a business, he is nevertheless faced with the realities of daily life: commuting to work, preparing meals, care-giving, housekeeping, and the like. As one attends to the necessities of daily life, the question ultimately becomes, “How do I implement entrepreneurial ideas amidst the endless ‘To Do’ lists?”.

Six key reasons entrepreneurs work a

full-time or part-time job

Me’Shae Brooks-Rolling is a Senior Manager at Syracuse University and is the Author of “How To Save Money & Organize Your Finances” which includes resources for small business entrepreneurs. Her company, Just the Basics Financial Literacy Education, provides financial literacy education throughout Central New York. She may be reached at (315) 908-BOOK (2665) or [email protected] © 2011. All rights reserved.

Assess how you got to this place and where you want to go.

We all have a personal, professional, and entrepreneurial journey. It is critically important to stop, reflect and assess where you have been, how you got here, why you do what you do, where you are going, and how to get there personally, professionally, financially and entrepreneurially. Keep a journal. Do a lot of soul-searching and then craft a targeted, focused strategic plan.

Learn how to be content.

Understand that whether or not you work full time, there will always be a task to complete in your business. Take care of everything in season and in due time. This is not to advocate an attitude of complacency. Rather, it reflects your understanding that there may be a point when you have to reconcile the fact that there are only so many hours in a day to accomplish the priority tasks that propel your business forward. Personally, I have made peace with the fact that many of the tasks in my business plan are going to take awhile due to limited time; therefore, I constantly have to assess what is on my agenda and prioritize.

Grow professionally and educationally while marrying

your trade with entrepreneurial resources.

Avoid being a vendor with sloppy paperwork or one with pristine paperwork but a low-quality product or service. Remember your BAIL team (Banker, Accountant, Insurance Agent, Lawyer) and read everything you can get your hands on regarding both your trade in particular and business entrepreneurship generally.

The local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) or small business incubator in your area can provide these materials. Another resource is Service Corps of Retired Executives (S.C.O.R.E.), a cohort of retired corporate executives who volunteer their time counseling small business owners. Be organized, disciplined, and focused.

Prioritize and keep it simple.

The rule of organizing is to break down small tasks and complete them over time. If you are starting out, for example, come up with your business’s name and determine your business’s structure (confer with your accountant/C.P.A. and attorney); apply for your business certificate with the county or state; acquire your Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS; select the financial institution that will house your business checking account; and proceed to your financial institution with the proper paperwork to open your business account. As with most business tasks, this is a multi-step process that should not be done haphazardly.

I invite you to read next month’s Latino New York issue for eight additional suggestions on how to achieve peaceful coexistence between your job and your emerging business enterprise.

Suggestions on how to achieve balance between your job and

your growing business


JuanGeorge,WalterRamos,Dr.JoséCruz,FernándoGómez

MikeAsencioandDra.CeciliaSanz

TonyaCrewandLisaCortés

GildaHernández,JulianaHernández,YvetteMalavéDíazandNancyHernández

JulianaHernández,Dra.GladysCruz,JoséCruz,NancyHernández

ManySantosandJulioVidal

StephanieFuentes

SeanandElaineAllen

100 Hispanic Women4th Annual Gala * Parranda Navideña

100 HispanicWomencelebrated its 4thAnnualGala, “ParrandaNavideña”attheDesmondHotel,anopportunitytothankandcele-bratetheirmanypartnersfortheirtrustandcontinuedsupportinthefurtheranceoftheirmission.100HispanicWomen,hassupportedinitiativessuchastheUpstatelatinoSummit,allowingLatinosfromBuffalototheHudsonValleytocometogetherunderonecommon

goal,toimproveourcommunitiesandouraccesstothedecisionmakingprocess. Theyhaveencouragedandnurture theyoungandupcoming Latina leadershipby supporting the LatinoYouthConference of the YMCA and by continuing their contributionstowardsindividualhighereducationgoalsbygrantingscholarshipstoLatinasthatexcelintheCapitalDistrictRegion.


ClaribelAsencioandJenniferSantiago

LeslieandDavidBrown

LaudelinaMartínezandJulioVidal

AntonioCortés,NancyHernándezandJoeGómez

CarmenPerezHoganreceivinga2011EstrellaawardfromJanetSapio-Mayta

MaryCottonRichardreceivinga2011EstrellaAwardfromJanetSapio-Mayta

CongressmanPaulTonko

ParticipantsoftheGala


Centro American Students visited SUNY Cobleskill.


Celebracion de Reyes magosCentro Cívico Hispanoamericano


Ramona Colón Agrón Sapio A Life of Love, “La Familia” and Legacy

She thought him handsome and loved the uniform, his accent (our father learned to speak Spanish while stationed in Puerto Rico), his commanding presence – it was a total package for her! They dated, and there was always a male chaperone that accompanied them. She could never be alone with our father until they were married. On October 3, 1953, Lucas and Ramona were married, and lived in Puerto Rico while Lucas continued to serve in the Army. Two of their children – Sammy and Janet – were born in San Juan.

Later, our father was called for a transfer by the Army, and as a good military wife, our mother sadly had to leave her beautiful family and Isla de Puerto Rico to move into the “big world,” beyond what was familiar and comforting to her. More poignantly, our mother relinquished her dream of seeking stardom, as now she was a wife and mother, and had a responsibility to raise her children and care for her family.

After moving back to the mainland, our family lived on Army bases throughout the U.S. While stationed in Tacoma, Washington, the third of the Sapio children was born, Nancy. The next four to five years were spent in Europe – Germany, Spain and Italy. Ramona always claimed that Europe was “heaven on earth,” a place that she held dearly in her heart. She loved the time spent there as she made many friends in the different countries that she lived in, and (she later confessed) because she was quite the popular one due to her ability to easily learn the different languages of each country; her humor, her singing and acting abilities which were her instruments for entertaining people, and most importantly, her generosity, loving and nurturing nature.

In the early 1960’s, our father was transferred back to the United States. We lived in New York City/Staten Island for a while, and our father was later transferred to serve at an Army Depot in Bullville, N.Y. (Orange County). Our father commuted daily for a while, and because our parents preferred the Orange County area to raise their family, they decided to move the family from Staten Island to this area. They later purchased a home in a nearby town of Pine Bush, and settled into their new home to establish roots to raise our family. Later on, after serving in the U.S. Army for 25 years, our father decided it was time for him to retire from the Army and become a civilian. The family grew again with three more daughters being born to the Sapio family – Susan, Anna Magdalena and Sonia. The family was now complete! Lucas and Ramona were extremely busy with their family of six children – Lucas now working full-time with the federal (and later state) government, and Ramona remaining at home to care for the family.

Ramona Colón Agrón Sapio, who grew up a poor girl in Puerto Rico and went on to become a pillar

of strength and love for her family in America, passed away on January 12. She was 71. Her faith, kindness, style, grace and humor shaped her children, and enriched their lives and careers. She was a living example of how to be a loving sibling, aunt, cousin and most of all, a loving parent.

What follows is a tribute, from her six children, to what this beautiful and loving woman left behind.

Humble Beginnings

Our dear mother, whose life-long journey taught us so much, always wanted to write her own memoir. She’d recite the beginning to us: “I was born a poor Puerto Rican girl and grew up ‘en las montanas de Anasco’.”

Ramona Colón Agrón Sapio’s legacy began on March 3, 1939, born the first child of Natividad Colón Agrón and Saturnino Colon. She was the oldest of nine children in her family: Otillo, Rudulfo, Aida, Fela, Tutti, Luiz, Carlos and Gladys. Ramona’s father worked in the sugar cane fields, and her mother worked at home to raise the children and care for the family. As a little girl, Ramona had big dreams, and a loud and resonating voice. She loved to sing, dance and perform. She was a dreamer, and longed for the luxuries and amenities that her family could not afford. Not uncommon for young females in Puerto Rico during that era, Ramona left school after third grade to help her mother take care of the family. She would help make money for the family through babysitting, and when she became older, singing and entertaining at local venues (always accompanied by her father). On occasion, when money became tight, Ramona worked in the sugar cane fields – not the type of work that she enjoyed, but as she shared with us, “You always need to sacrifice for the family.”

During Christmas of 1952, at the age of 13, our mother met our father Lucas J. Sapio, who was a native Filipino, serving in the United States Army and stationed in Puerto Rico near her village. Ramona’s cousin, also in the Army, had brought his friend Lucas to Ramona’s village to partake in Christmas festivities. Our mother describes meeting our father for the first time as “love at first sight.”


Ramona Colón Agrón Sapio A Life of Love, “La Familia” and Legacy

Lessons in America The new town that they lived in was not always as welcoming or embracing of our family as our parents initially thought it would be. The residents of this town were predominantly Caucasian, and given that our family was the first family of either Puerto Rican or Filipino descent to live in that town, the town folks didn’t quite know what to make of us. Our skin color was different, and not only did we look and act differently, but Lucas and Ramona each spoke with their very own unique accents, so they also talked differently. We learned our first lessons about racial discrimination and bigotry. It hurt, it stung, the pain went deep at times – especially when we would learn of comments made about us and our parents from people whom we regarded as friends – or comments made by parents of our childhood friends. We recall that shortly after moving into our home, fences were put up by our neighbors, presumably to keep us off their properties. Our parents never displayed to the neighbors how much this offended them. They knew who they were and where they came from, and they were proud of their ancestry and heritage. Our parents instilled these same values in us as children.

Also, living in that town (we later learned) was the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan . . . who also served as the president of the School Board. There were many hard lessons that we learned about people, but in retrospect, we learned to regard these lessons as blessings, as these were good “life lessons” for us as children. It prepared us for the future. Despite this, as a family, we held our heads high and, as our parents always taught us, we displayed pride in our family and who we were. Those words still resonate for us, “Be proud of who you are, and where you came from, and always hold your head up high!”

In contrast, all of us would agree that there were many good people who treated us with the respect and dignity that we deserved. They were people of compassion, goodwill and a moral conscience.

They were teachers in our school and people in the community who saw value in the Sapio family, and these good people – like our parents – believed in us as children and reaffirmed for us what our parents taught us. Our parents also taught us as children, “remember from whence you came” – reminding us that our families in Puerto Rico and the Philippine Islands were very poor and did back-breaking work as laborers to earn a living for their families. Remembering the humble beginnings of where we came from was always an important reminder in our home to remain humble in whatever we do.

The Value of Education

Our parents always emphasized to us the value of an education and how studying hard was an investment in our future for a successful career. They wanted their children to accomplish what they were not able to. For our family, a college education was non-negotiable for the children. It was not just their expectations; it was a trajectory that we knew we were bound on since young children. The value of an education and hard work continues for us to this day, and it is exactly what we preach to our children!

Throughout our lives growing up, our parents taught us the importance of “family” and the need to always be there for one another, during good times and especially during difficult times. As our father provided the sole income for a family of eight, our family did not have a lot of money . . . but as a family . . . we were rich with love. Our mother was always the more outwardly nurturing and loving parent. She taught us the true meaning of “unconditional love,” often sacrificing to go without in order to provide for her children. Our father (with a strong military background), taught us discipline, respect and structure – “If you want something, you work hard to earn it.

Nothing comes free in life!” We were raised as a very close, strong and united family, and we continue this way to this day. Our best friends are each other as siblings, and our family is our sanctuary.

Making a Splash

As children, our mother often told us, “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” She had a magnetic personality, and she was convinced that her charming and loving nature would disarm people and help them to look beyond differences. It wasn’t long before our Mother became the talk of the town. Just as she knew, her outgoing and engaging personality, coupled with what some people regarded as her eccentricities and their blossoming curiosity to find out more about this woman, led them to ask “Who is this woman?” Little did they know that the stage was unfolding just as she envisioned. Our mother lavished and basked in all of the attention that she was receiving. Soon, there would be all kinds of women neighbors who wanted to learn more about her, and friends were visiting the house often. Our big yard became the community playground, where neighborhood children would congregate to play kickball, wiffleball, dodgeball, tag and

numerous other sports and games. On hot summer days, our mother would be out there with the pitcher of Kool-Aid and cookies for all the children. Invitations to join us for dinner were often extended by our parents to our friends. There were countless nights when there would be a different face sitting at the dinner table with us.

As there were five daughters to clothe, and money was not abundant, our mother developed a new passion and hobby – designing and sewing clothes. She would do this without using any patterns, and it always amazed us to watch her take yards of garment material, and have her transform them into beautiful dresses, pants, skirt sets, etc.


We remember with fondness our beaming pride when people complimented us on how well we all looked, and how talented and creative our mother was.

In the years to come, our mother would also create clothes for herself in “Hollywood” style! She loved to create new designs and sew new outfits. We knew that any of our mother’s designs would be one of a kind, thus no other child in the neighborhood or at school would have one like it. Through our mother, we developed our own love for music and singing. As she swept or mopped the floors, the strokes of the broom/mop patterns that she made and her hips would swing rhythmically to the beat of the music; or she would suddenly stop, and sing into the broom/mop handle simulating a singer with a microphone. Our mother loved entertaining weekly through singing at the local town library during movie night. She used entertaining others as her service to the community, and always obliged whenever she was asked to perform in some way. Our mother taught us songs and dances, and would commit us to performing at nursing homes, senior citizen groups and even in annual local variety shows. Somewhere along her journey in life, she was dubbed “Miss Hollywood.”

At any of our school, church or community events, our mother was always there to provide support, root us on and give us encouragement or comfort in our successes and disappointments. She never missed any of her children’s (or grandchildren’s) major activities or events, unless she was ill or incapacitated. We all knew that our mother was in the audience watching us, as you could not miss her booming voice, and her cheers of support.

One day, she was so excited to tell us about her “little bit of fame” through calling into a local radio station for a contest they were having. The radio station wanted a grandparent to call in and sing “Stairway to Heaven” on the radio.

The best prize offered to the person who did this was a pair of tickets to a Billy Joel concert. Recalling that song as her daughter’s Junior Prom theme, our mother immediately called the radio station to sing the song. In true Ramona style, the words to the song were like this “Dere’s a place dat ju know…”, and when she couldn’t remember the words, she hummed it over the airwaves interspersing it with the lyrics she remembered (or made up). Of

course, our mother won the prize tickets! The DJ’s fell in love with our mother from that moment on. She became a sensation and a local celebrity, and was announced as “Here’s RAAAMONA” (making sure to trill the “R” in Ramona), whenever they put her on the radio. They’d ask her to sing different songs on the radio, particularly “La Bamba” and other Spanish songs. She was even asked to record a couple of CD’s that the radio station sold for charity. Whenever she would go out, people would recognize her voice and accent as soon as she spoke, and would ask her “Are you that Ramona on the radio?”

Coping with Hardship

Our mother had her share of problems and hardships. Her faith, strength and stamina fueled her spirit and ongoing endurance for whatever adversities she encountered. At the age of 26, she had to undergo surgery for a full hysterectomy. This led to a major depression, which she episodically battled at different

periods throughout her life. She developed epilepsy, and experienced numerous seizure disorders, never knowing when her seizures would occur. As a result, she could never drive and was always dependent on people to drive her somewhere. Although she loved to walk and run in her earlier years, later in her adult life, she developed degenerative bone disease and severe arthritis, resulting in double knee replacements. (One of her knees was particularly troublesome and painful, and required nine surgeries during the course of her life.) Our mother also developed lung fibrosis as a side effect from extended medication usage, which led to congestive heart failure at different times, requiring numerous hospitalizations. She was later resigned to using a wheelchair to get around. Despite her high tolerance for pain, it had become too much for her to endure, and she finally had to accept the reality that her legs were failing her.

In 1991, Ramona lost her husband (our father), whom she had been married to for almost 38 years. This loss was devastating for her, and for all of the family. In 1996, there was a terrible fire in our family home, which resulted in the loss of our home – the home that our parents had planted their roots to lovingly raise our family. A newly constructed house was eventually erected on our family property. Additionally, during her life, Ramona experienced the deaths of two of her sisters (Tutti and Fela) and her parents, along with two grandchildren (Ariana Mercedes Mayta as a newborn, and Brian Gerard Sapio, age 24, her oldest grandchild). She fought valiantly to battle the depressions that ensued from these losses, and to stay on top of her health physically and emotionally. Despite these hardships, and how she was feeling at times, she always had a ready smile on her face and a laugh in her heart! Love and laughter were utilized as healing agents for our mother.


On November 3, 2010, Ramona was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia. Her situation became more complex with new medical conditions that developed and other complications. She came near death a few times during her extended hospital stay, but with the vigil provided by her children and family in her hospital room, our mother continued to battle throughout November and December to stay alive. We knew that our mother’s fight was more for her children and family, as she was ready to be called home by God, and wanted to be reunited with her loved ones that had gone before her. Because of a tracheotomy, our mother could no longer talk to us. We could no longer hear the familiar voice of our mother that we had been accustomed to hearing throughout our lives. But, during those periods when she was alert and lucid, she communicated non-verbally to us, and would smile and blow us kisses to demonstrate her love for us. Since the passing of our mother into her new and everlasting life on January 12th, our hearts have been heavy with grief. The lack of her physical presence in our daily lives is profound, and the pain is piercing and deep. We find

solace and comfort in knowing that our mother has received her just reward, she is singing and dancing amongst the angels, and she is in the company of God and her loved ones in heaven.

Please give a big hug and kiss to Dad, Brian, Ariana and all our family members and friends who are there with you. We miss them all, as we now miss you. We will remember your words, “I would rather laugh than cry” and with our laughter, you will be in our midst.

We love you, Mom, and may you rest in peace . . . until we meet again.

Que Sera . . . Sera . . .

With love always from your children,

Sam, Janet, Nancy, Susan, Anita & Sonia

Latino New York Magazine

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