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“I’m very excited that (Puerto Ricans) got called again (to be
spotlighted),” Antonio Barrios, PRCC chair said, “It's a
very precious moment. It’s an opportunity to educate other
people that don’t know about the Puerto Rican community, our
rich community. We’re proud of being Puerto Rican and proud of
being American. Most Puerto Ricans are very excited,” said
Barrios, of Santurce, Puerto Rico.
Terri Soto,
President of the Lorain International Association and of both
Puerto Rican and Mexican background, said it was an honor to
spotlight a group that are “hard workers and very
family-oriented,” she said.
PRCC, with roughly 20 steady members, has done much more than
simply provide ideas to the Lorain International Association;
instead, they have organized and searched the sponsoring for
their events, Barrios said.
Since its inception last October, members of PRCC have been
planning fund-raisers, scheduling the entertainment, selecting
the speakers, and choosing the foods.
Among their fund-raisers were wine tasting events and the Arts
and Crafts event held at the Puerto Rican Home, where cuatros
painted by local artists were sold.
Barrios said the two most significant and biggest events planned
and sponsored by PRCC are the Boxing program featuring
Wilkins Santiago and others from Freddy’s Boxing Club
on June 20 and the Elegant Evening of Culture that
celebrated the Puerto Rican culture on June 24, 2009.
Among the many subcommittees of PRCC, José Pepe Rivera, a
DJ for an Oberlin radio station, has been assigned to lead the
entertainment selections and play the cuatro, and
María Córtez-González, secretary of the Puerto Rican Home,
was chosen to lead the design and creation of PRCC’s float to be
presented in the International Festival parade.
Some members of the group, who have met every Thursday, said
planning so many activities has been challenging but rewarding.
Boxing
Tim Carrion,
a Lorain business owner and organizer of the Boxing event, said
getting several individuals who are all leaders to work together
was the most challenging part when being involved with PRCC.
“This only comes around once in a couple decades and I wanted to
make this spotlight event a success for our community,” Carrion
said about his decision to help PRCC.
“Even though everyone has different opinions, everyone has come
together to meet one goal, ” Carrion said.
Richard Romero,
chairman of the Ohio Commission on Latino Affairs and member of
PRCC in charge of organizing the LIA Breakfast for June 22, said
the current economic state posed a challenge for the group.
“I think the economy has put a damper but it has put us in a
situation to be creative,” Romero said “We’re thinking outside
the box when coming up with ideas. We would have liked to bring
some national stars but we're bringing the locals. We decided to
make Lorain our Puerto Rican Island,” Romero said.
Although PRCC was newly created last year to organize this
year’s International Festival events honoring the Puerto Rican
community “rumor has it some people are thinking of keeping it
running,” Barrios said.
Dennis Flores,
Lorain city councilman and organizer of the Boxing program, said
his participation with PRCC has been quite a challenge. “It’s
been very stressful and it’s been very hard. Some members got
sick and dropped out. But this group has a lot to be very proud
of. We’re approaching the festival, and under the
circumstances...the way the economy is now, we’ve triumphed,” he
said.
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