Latina HerStory

Aileen Marti , Manager, Older Adult Program WS Community Services “Projections” are defined as forecasts of a future situation, like when we try to guess which of our cousins will get the biggest rice and beans plate from Abuela or the extra Pegao. I like to inform my personal projections with lunch (at least) then data, good data, from solid sources, I deem reputable. I hope that #Latinaherstory is one of those solid sources for you. This spring, our “focus” words will be defined here in our community and then redefined in reality as you experience them with our #latinaherstory definitions as anchors. Along with definitions, offering a necessary layer of data from industry and academic reports to frame our individual experiences, we hope to intentionally contribute to our community discernment when choosing cosas like products, news, places, leaders, churches, cars, music, teams, and whatever else we want to #invest our time, streams, energy, and “likes” into. Shared vocabularies inspire future growth. As a Latina community, who we are and what is important to us influences our shopping. And our dollars say so, as we Latinos shop with purpose. According to McKinsey and Company, Latinos are conscious of our impact, choosing brands that value the environment and their employees, which makes us unique. Shopping trends and numbers have a huge economic impact over time, as the U.S. Census indicates over 1 in 4 Americans are likely to be Latino by 2060. In 2060, 3.4 million of the older adult population will be Latinos, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. And time is face cream and money, baby (New York Accent). We have infinite options as we decide how to support older members of our community and ourselves. Firstly, depending on how we feel: con cafe con pan or cafe solo, lol. As we know, #latinas are culturally diverse but face common statistical realities. Commonalities bring us closer to the dinner table of life, and Latinaherstory is ringing the dinner bell. While we need data, shared vocabularies, and humor to thrive through creative problem-solving in the carpool/school drop-off lane of life, our most valuable resources are our tias, abuelas, and mothers and their infinite wisdom that smells like fresh her perfect laundry and the hug you needed. Centering on quotes of #Latina wisdom, this month our quote belongs to Aileen Marti of Buffalo, New York, NEW Older Adult Program Manager at West Side Community Services of Buffalo, a bustling nonprofit full of diverse peoples and cultures, as a leader, Aileen states: “Let’s celebrate their lives, as much as we celebrate ours.”  She brings her passion for life through artistry, leadership, and working with our older adults. Back to you this March as you decide which STEAM programs, summer camps, daycares, senior programs, nonprofits, and or businesses you are trusting with your summer plans and or as you are starting, running, or supporting your own any of the above think of Aileen and her #latinaherstory wisdom, add in a couple shakes of data (approximately “no mucho”), add your prayers, and maybe call your Tia who has been waiting to hear from you or actually ask your older neighbor, “Dona qué piensas.”  At Westside Community Services, Aileen is asking that question and informing programming with feedback directly from the source, our elders. As we plan for our community at large, first individually, we must project our household summer expenses to master the spring season. You will join the rest of us sneaking in our extra #makeup that we need legitimately. Check our scholarship tab for Latina-specific scholarships and more information about organizations like West Side Community Services, which we LOVE and give back. As we look forward to El Verano, projections are necessary. 111 days away from March 01st. Amen. Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Column Community Community News Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Media Military & Veterans Music Peace People Politics Sports Technology Latina HerStory March 4, 2024/No Comments Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Read More… Read More Data resilience February 5, 2024/1 Comment What is your mother’s favorite song? The answer is par of her “consumer profile”, and part of her consumer data.… Read More Justice Sandra Day O’Connor January 1, 2024/15 Comments Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, passed away on December 1, 2023,… Read More Load More End of Content.

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MINDFUL METHODS TO BUILD RESILIENCE – PART 2

Where we place our attention makes a difference and can be the way to turn obstacles into success! I hope that you learn one-minute methods to turn self-doubt and negative thinking into affirmations of your abilities one minute at a time in this series.  No one is immune from life’s obstacles. To live with a human body and a human mind means having to confront grief, loss, disappointment, frustration, and even illusion. Fortunately, this is only part of the story. The other part is the reality that we can all decide how best to play our hand at any given minute. How we respond to life’s stumbling blocks right here in the next sixty seconds can make all the difference. Resilience would be nearly impossible if we were constantly upset, irrational, irritated, and beset by a host of negative emotions. Calm is the elixir that brings us to a place of balance, harmony, and peace.  It is from this emotionally centered point of view that we are prepared and capable of making compassionate, caring, and sensible choices. Consider using the following simple, yet ancient and powerful practice anytime you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious: Bring the palms of your hands together in front of your chest. Spend a few moments noticing the warmth between your palms to get centered.  Inhale and fill your belly with air as you simultaneously move both arms outwards as if you were opening an accordion. Hold your breath for the count of 2 when your arms are spread fully outward. Exhale slowly and completely to the count of 4 and move your arms inward until your palms come back together. Repeat this practice 3 to 5 times at a sitting, standing, or lying down position. I hope you find this practice to tone your vagus nerve helpful.  Next edition I will include exercises to improve our clarity. Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Column Community Community News Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Media Military & Veterans Music Peace People Politics Sports Technology MINDFUL METHODS TO BUILD RESILIENCE – PART 2 March 4, 2024/No Comments Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Read More… Read More Mindful Methods to Build Resilience – Part 1 February 6, 2024/1 Comment The cultivation of calm, clarity, optimism, and happiness is not only doable but can prove to be inviting. All of… Read More FORGET THOSE NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS! January 1, 2024/4 Comments As another year during one of the most challenging times in history draws to a close, it may be time… Read More Load More End of Content.

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A MAN OF CHARACTER: REMEMBERING JOE MARCINIAK

Nothing makes you question your mortality more than seeing someone you’ve known for most of your life pass on and join the ancestors. When the one who passed away was still so full of life and still had much to offer this world, it makes you question the fairness of it all. On Saturday, Feb. 17th, a service was held for one of our own, Joseph Marciniak, who passed away on Super Bowl Sun., Feb. 11th, at the age of 52. Knowing Joe and the type of reach he had with people in Buffalo and beyond, I wasn’t surprised by the amount of people who showed up to send him off. It  was quite impressive. Joe Marciniak was a man whose impact on those around him was immeasurable. His legacy is one of character, a quality often overlooked in today’s society. Though many in Buffalo, particularly on the West Side may have known Joe and his brother Brian Marciniak for the numerous Freestyle music concerts they have promoted over the years, I knew Joe and his family from having grown up across the street from their family home on 85 West Avenue (Lower West Side). I will be turning 46 this year and for as long as I can remember, I have always known the Marciniak/Jamieson family, and as I gave my eulogy on February 17th, a great number of the memories I shared were centered on remembering Joe as a man of character and someone many of us looked up to. Whenever I think of my father, I can’t help but think of a memory tied to Joe Marciniak. In the weeks after my father passed away, just a week and a half before Christmas 2002, I ran into Joe Marciniak in front of the Marciniak/Jamieson home on West Avenue, just across the street from my own family home. Joe and I talked about my dad, and one thing that always stayed with me from that conversation was when he said my father had “character.” At the time, my young, jaded mind didn’t understand what he meant by this, as to know my father, Joe the Barber, was to know he was quite the character, however, Joe corrected me and stated “he was a man of character” and explained why. I think about these words whenever I think about my dad and try to live up to them. I have Joe Marciniak to thank for helping me understand what “character” really meant. He was a natural teacher; it wasn’t a surprise when he passed away to read numerous messages about the mark he left on so many as a teacher at McKinley High. His legacy will forever live on. Knowing how well-versed in history he was and wanting to pass on that knowledge at his alma mater which also happens to be my alma mater, McKinley High, solidified the type of character he possessed. When many wouldn’t have wanted to take up that type of challenge, teaching inner city youth, Joe took it head on and left his mark. He was a man of high character and I’m grateful to have known and looked up to him as a young man growing up on the Lower West Side. As a man in my mid-forties, I feel a sense of comfort knowing I can look up to the sky knowing that another man of character is up there inspiring many who knew them. Thank you, Joe, for teaching me what it meant to be a man of character. If only we all could live by the example you set. Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Column Community Community News Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Media Military & Veterans Music Peace People Politics Sports Technology A MAN OF CHARACTER: REMEMBERING JOE MARCINIAK March 4, 2024/No Comments Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Read More… Read More BRIDGING DIVIDES: CHALLENGES IN UNITY WITHIN BUFFALO’S LATINO COMMUNITY February 6, 2024/2 Comments It has been well over a year since I returned to Buffalo New York, after spending the previous twelve years… Read More RESILIENCE AMIDST TRAGEDY: ONE YEAR LATER, REFLECTING ON THE BUFFALO CHRISTMAS BLIZZARD OF 2022 January 1, 2024/7 Comments As the Christmas season ends and a New Year is upon us, I can’t help but reflect on the difference… Read More Load More End of Content.

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