BACK TO THE TWILIGHT ZONE, A PUERTO RICAN COLONY ON BUFFALO'S LOWER WEST SIDE
by ALBERTO O. CAPPAS
A Must-Read Book with a Politically Poetic Voice:
Available at Amazon and other leading social media outlets: Amazon.com: Back to the Twilight Zone: A Puerto Rican Colony in Buffalo, NY eBook : Cappas, Alberto: Kindle Store
The Educational Pledge, Questions to Self-Development
by Alberto O. Cappas, edited by Solomon Joseph, published by the Buffalo Latino Village.
A book about understanding the importance of personal growth and development, taking charge of your personal life, begin to live life as it was intended. A book introducing young people to self-esteem, self-development, personal responsibilities, values and standards. A book that should be in every personal library of educators, counselors, mentors, parents, and in the public school library. This is the first edition of the Manifest Diversity Series founded by Solomon Joseph, who is featured as the editor of this book.
Best use by Counselor, Mentors, Teachers, to provoke conversation with young people to understand their journey in life. Excellent for public schools and community youth organizations, including reform institutions. If ordered from publisher, you will get a personal signed copy by the author. Price includes mailing and shipment. Book available on Amazon.com
THE EDUCATIONAL PLEDGE, QUESTIONS TO SELF-DEVELOPMENT
by ALBERTO O. CAPPAS
An educational handbook for a teenager addresses self-development, and self-esteem, and explores the difference between Educated and intelligence; the reason for pursuing an education, the book introduces the meaning of value, integrity, morality, journey, and the question of whether you are a provider or a consumer. Excellent for public schools
GALLARDO: La Comunidad… ¿De Quién? — Columns from the Latin Journal publication (1970s — 1980s)
Compiled by Alberto O. Cappas, publisher; edited by Victor S. Aguilar, Angelica Aquino, and Tino Mejia.
El trabajo de Ramon Gallardo se basa en columnas periodísticas que escribió a finales de la década de 1970 hasta finales de la década de 1980 en Buffalo, Nueva York, donde escribió para buffalo Latin Journal e Hispano News, las dos únicas publicaciones latinas locales en Buffalo, Nueva York durante ese período. Ramón era un escritor natural y talentoso. Como columnista, desarrolló un gran número de seguimientos; después de 40 años después de su fallecimiento, todavía se habla de él, dejando sus huellas literarias.
English: The Work of Ramon Gallardo is based on newspaper columns he wrote during the late 1970s up to the late 1980s in Buffalo, NY, where he wrote for the Buffalo Latin Journal and Hispano News, the only two local Latino publications in Buffalo, NY during that period. Ramon was a natural and gifted writer. As a columnist, he developed a large following; after 40 years after his passing, he is still talked about, leaving his literary footprints.
You can also order directly from the publisher, receiving a signed copy from the publisher or editor. Books also available on Amazon.com.
RAMON GALLARDO
Compiled by Alberto O. Cappas, publisher; edited by Victor S. Aguilar, Angelica Aquino, and Tino Mejia.
In Spanish… The Voice of Ramon Gallardo, includes all his columns published in the Buffalo Latin Journal, reflecting the era of the 70s and 80s in Buffalo’s Puerto Rican/Latino community.
Price includes mailing and handling. Book also available on Amazon.com.
PULL UP YOUR MIND, QUOTES TO FREE THE MIND
by Alberto O. Cappas, published by Buffalo Latino Village
This book is a response to the number of dead minds in urban communities, too many of our young people are not going to school, not giving value to education. It is a response to blind bodies in urban communities, too many of our young people living day-to-day, and dying day-to-day. It is a challenge to our educators and community leaders to give priority to the future of our young people, and to help make Education a top priority. This book is for all our young people who are running around with slacks below their waistline, thinking they look cool but look like clowns going to a circus. It is for our Village, our elders, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, leaders, and teachers, to not give up on our young people.
This book is dedicated to our young people, especially those who are lacking a thinking structure to help them grow and develop, to become responsible and productive members of their community. This book is trying to introduce concepts, ideas, and conceptional systems to our young people. If we can work to jumpstart and provoke their thinking machine, we can begin to fix the mental infrastructure in Urban America. Use these quotes to start the conversation with young people in Urban America.
Get them to think, provoke their minds. Get book directly from publisher, book signed by author. Books also available on Amazon.com.
PULL UP YOUR MIND, QUOTES TO FREE THE MIND
by Alberto O. Cappas
A book of quotes for young people, a great book for class discussions, looking at the development of life by reviewing and analyzing the quotes in the book.
Includes mailing and shipment. Book also available on Amazon.com.
About The Author
Alberto O. Cappas
Born in Puerto Rico, and raised in New York City, in Manhattan Valley. Graduated from Harlem Prep School (Harlem, NY), and from SUNY@Buffalo. Alberto is a jack of all trades, but a master of none. Born in 1946, he has experienced an exciting life. Now at the age of 77, his backpack includes goodies such as Writer, Poet, Journalist, Book Publisher, Public Servant, Community Activist, Art Curator, and Newspaper publisher. His work has been included in numerous anthologies in the United States, Canada, and China.
1969-1983: Buffalo, NY: After graduating from SUNY@Buffalo, Alberto decided to stay in Buffalo and continue his community activism work he started while an undergraduate student. He left Buffalo in 1983, but not before creating several institutions and organizations in the local Puerto Rican/Latino community. Alberto was the founder of PODER (Puerto Rican Student Organization at UB), which gave birth to Puerto Rican Studies, and the admission of Black and Latino students, both for undergraduate and professional schools. He founded or co-founded the following: Puerto Rican-Chicano Committee (PRCC), a community activist organization, the Latin Journal (Latino publication), and the Buffalo Latin Gallery, an arts and cultural organization which was responsible for bringing poets and artists to recite and exhibit their work.
Alberto was a member of the Attica Observers Committee, the group which tried to negotiate the demands of the prisoners in 1977. Alberto also gave birth to Buffalo’s first Puerto Rican parade, which took place on Virginia Street (from Edward down to Virginia, down to Niagara Street). Alberto was responsible for bringing civil rights to the Puerto Rican/Latino community. Thanks to him, many Puerto Ricans/Latinos were able to find meaningful employment. With the proper research, one can find all these documents in the pages of the Buffalo News and the Buffalo Courier, the two major newspapers which covered the work of PRCC and its founders. In 1982, Alberto, along with two other Latino poets, was commissioned to create a piece of poetic art mural at the Allen Street Train station, sponsored by the NFTA.
1983-2013: In New York City, by day, Alberto worked for both city and state government; and by night, he dedicated his life to poetry, doing presentations and poetry readings. In one of his book reviews (Dona Julia), the reviewer said, “Next time you go to the polls, make sure to vote for a poet.” Alberto lived on the lower east side and in East Harlem. During that period, he was the founder of the following: Don Pedro Cookies, The Educational Pledge, The New Tomorrow (Newspaper), East Harlem Journal (Newspaper), and La Fortaleza Project (a business and economic development concept using Arts & Culture as the main theme). La Fortaleza Project sponsored the first Latino Book Fair in El Barrio. Alberto continued his literary work until 2013 went he got a seizure, losing 40% of his memory. This resulted in Alberto moving back to Buffalo to be closer to his family, primarily his two daughters, brothers, and sisters. Alberto says that he was in no condition to understand what was happening, and during that period, his daughters took advantage of the situation, seeing it as an opportunity to kidnap him and bring him back to Buffalo.
2013 to present: Back to Buffalo. It took about two years for Alberto to make a full recovery. With the proper medication, he has no problem leading a normal life. He was disappointed in finding Buffalo in the same condition it was when he left in 1984. This ignited his poetic and political passion and started using his voice to address the social, political, and economic issues affecting Buffalo’s Puerto Rican/Latino community. Since his Buffalo re-arrival, he has advocated very strongly on the community’s behalf. He is the founder of the Buffalo Latino Village (2017), the Buffalo Online Latino Art Gallery (2016), and a founding member of Pushing Latinos Forward (2016), and the Puerto Rican-Latino Community Committee (2015). He uses his publication as a platform to give a voice to young Puerto Ricans and other Latinos with a passion to see a real change in Buffalo. Alberto still lives in Buffalo, NY with his wife, Ramona. He has two daughters from his first marriage – Arlene Tucker and JoAnne Vega. He has four grandchildren (Matthew, Santi, Nina, and Isabella), plus a grand grandchild, named Nora.
His published work: Ramon Gallardo; Dona Julia: A Collection of published poems; Echolalia; The Educational Pledge; and, Never too late to Make a U-turn. His work can be found on Amazon.com, and other media social outlets, including his webpage: Buffalo Latino Village and the Buffalo Online Latino Art Gallery.
Photos of Alberto O. Cappas:
His Work --- Click on any page to enlarge Poems:
Books by Buffalo Latino Village:
Reviews of Alberto's poetic work --- Click on any page to enlarge page:
