Congrats go out to Javier Cavazos of Lansing for being chosen to be inducted into the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame. “Coach” as most of us call him, would be honored to have a few friends join us in celebrating this long overdue celebration! This will take place next week, Thursday, June 17, 2021 with an on the field ceremony at Jackson Field, home of the Lansing Lugnuts and for the first time this season, Lansing Locos. Congrats Coach!
Make your voice heard!
Michigan voters overwhelmingly amended the state constitution to create an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, and now the MICRC is ready to hear from you to help ensure fair, representative districts. Use this portal to submit public comment to the Commission, and tell them what’s important to know as they draw the new district lines!
You can provide your thoughts to the Commission by providing written testimony, by drawing your own districting plan (partial or whole), or by submitting a community of interest map.
To Submit your ideas: MICRC Public Comment Portal (michigan-mapping.org)
Every Thursday this summer the Cristo Rey Church folks, known for their Fiestas and great food, will be on site at the St. Casmir Farmer’s Market from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Elotes, gorditas, tacos, fresh food cups and more!
The 15th Annual Golf Fore Giving is back offering you an opportunity to give back to the community at large. Cristo Rey Community Center. The outing will take place Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at Wheatfield Valley Golf Course in Williamston. Register today!
Cristo Rey has been a staple of the Lansing area since 1968, helping community members achieve self-sufficiency. They offer a variety of services that work together to treat not just one aspect of an individual’s life, but all facets that contribute to the cycle of poverty. This structure allows increased access to the basic needs we believe no human being should live without.
Your participation helps us provide families with healthy food, quality healthcare, counseling, and financial services.
Register here: Register for Cristo Rey Community Center’s event (bloomerang.co)
¿Qué Onda Michigan? is a weekly Spanish-language news podcast from WKAR hosted by Michelle Jokisch Polo and Araceli Crescencio. Every week we bring you the top headlines of the week with a focus on the people and the issues most important to Michigan’s Latinx community. It is available weekly on Fridays.
Find the Podcast here: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1003334547/qu-onda-michigan?fbclid=IwAR20-gMzVrs6DCTH4QlFA67qj5mP2QnePGeTn6Dy1BVhgtqNCKOqssdOHGg
We at Cafecito Caliente are proud to announce that we raised $4,100 for the Capital Area Latina Youth Organization (CALY)! After raising $3,500 for the Migrant Camp Program at Michigan State University back in August 2020, we aimed for $4,000 and hit our goal. Cafecito’s philosophy of “Life Happens, Cafecito Helps” will help CALY as they begin to come out of the pandemic.
So many of you from around the country registered for the Frida 5k and received not only received a gorgeous shirt and medal, but also made a separate donation to help CALY and we gave CALY every penny from those donations as we covered any fees.
From Cafecito’s part, we donated the design, marketing, shipping materials and of course labor. Feldman Chevrolet of Lansing also contributed and has been a trusted partner for Cafecito Caliente since 2019. We hope you will consider the next 2 races in the Running La Vida Loca 5k Race Series. August 14, 2021 will be the Loteria 5k where you can dress up as your favorite character from Loteria. September 18, 2021 will bring us the 2nd Annual Running La Vida Loca 5k Run/Walk. Make sure you like our page to keep track of the four different 5k Races!
Sein Paul Benavides – Running La Vida Loca 5k Series Director
In 2018, voters approved a change to the way maps are drawn to determine voting
districts. This decision takes the process out of the hands of elected officials/political
parties, and now residents get to decide where voting boundaries are drawn.
Between May and June 2021, a series of public hearings will take place where
residents can give their ideas either in person or online about who should be
represented. Residents can also help design which areas of the map will best
represent them.
For this process to be as inclusive and fair as possible, we need as many individuals as
possible to participate!
THIS IS A REPOST FROM AUGUST OF 2018
Looking back at my life prior to hitting my late twenties, what stood out to me was the community that I was apart of. My family always seemed to be at the ballpark. It was where we seen all the families. Families such as Montalvo, Gomez, Medrano, Lopez, Castilla, etc. The community was one, at the park. Oh sure, they competed on the fields, but we belonged to one family. This wasn’t a race thing, it was whoever showed up. And if you were there, the Latino community claimed you and you were forever apart of “Us”.
Yesterday, Cafecito Caliente had the chance to bring together the Women’s Latin Leagues from 1973 to 1989. Such a flashback as I witnessed so many hugs, smiles, laughter led by the women of those years. With all due respect to the Cristo Rey Fiesta which has been the site of 40 years of gatherings of our community, this was different. The women took the field, and I say this with humor and seriousness, they took the field where the Lansing Lugnuts play like they owned it. To see their faces, and their responses after they came off the field was magical.
The Latin League players were recognized for their playing for 17 years in the Lansing area. But, reality is, they gave us a reason to gather, thus gave us a way to be a community back then. There was no Facebook back then and we still knew each others business, only we didn’t mind it as much as we do today. We live in a broken world and the Latino community as we know it today is no different. So many families do not even speak to each other within the family. Make no mistake, the generations before us never intended it to be that way.
Yesterday, the Latino community was one. Sure, we numbered about 400-450, so many were missing, but yet were they? So many people were in our hearts, the memories of yesteryear and who didn’t smile when we seen Matilde Gomez and seen the tears she shed? I was Blessed to have talked to quite a few of the players over the last couple weeks and to hear their excitement, to listen to the love they had for their fellow players was deeply touching.
Yesterday, if you weren’t in attendance, a bunch of women who decided to pick up a bat, ball and glove years ago, taught us that we can all be equal on the same field, at the park and in life. They reminded us how deeply they care about each other and our community. They showed us what family is supposed to look like blood related or not. They showed us how when one of their own is not in the best of health sitting in a wheelchair, that they are still so loved as they sit in wheelchairs. You reminded us that an older generation still has some value and deserve our love and attention. They reminded us of a time when life was simple and you just had to be you and show up to the park despite the aches, pains and bruises that softball players got used to (sounds like life huh?). You reminded us how to be proud again the right way.
Much thanks to the Lansing Lugnuts for allowing Cafecito Caliente the freedom to create a memorable day for the 7th year in a row. A special shout out to Eric Pionk, Group Sales Rep and Tyler Parsons who is in his first year as General Manager of the Lugnuts. Eric, listened to every wish we had, figured out how to make it all work and even had to make his own on the field decisions changing the Cafecito lineup during the pregame which turned out to be a winning move. Tyler has taken a proactive role with the Latino community and is making plans to create a 3 day weekend for our Gente in 2019.
Most importantly, they reminded us of how to be a community again. The Latino community has taken its hits, especially in the last couple years. But we did back then too and these Latin Leagues continued to show up each Sunday and made our lives a little better and provided a support system whether we knew it or not. Much thanks to all those who made it out to the park to support the Latino Leagues.
To the Latin League Women Players: If you have ever experienced a 3 day Church retreat, you know the first day, you get comfortable. The second day, you finally get into it during the afternoon and are deeply emotional by night time. On Sunday, your feeling invincible. Monday is the big day. Will you keep in touch with each other? Will you choose to become a little more involved in the Latino community? I can’t thank you all enough for showing up. In life, that’s huge! Just showing up is how we change lives. Thank you for touching a community and my hope is this isn’t the last we will see of you as a group or as individuals. The Latino community needs you more now than ever.
Much love and respect to all of you Ladies, te quiero mucho! – off my soapbox
LANSING – Mayor Andy Schor today announced that he is running for reelection to serve a second term as Mayor of Lansing.
Schor was first elected in 2017 on a platform of Economic and Community Development, Neighborhoods, City Service and Infrastructure, and working with Lansing Schools.
Under Schor’s leadership, Lansing has experienced significant growth while navigating unexpected crises. Neighborhoods received a renewed focus and investment, streets and potholes have been repaired, Lansing partnered with its schools, and the city experienced significant growth with over $1.5 billion in investments. During the last three years, Schor helped create many new amenities to enhance quality of life for Lansing residents, including a new downtown grocery store, new parks like Beacon SW and Rotary Park, housing for a variety of incomes throughout the city, and other successes.
During Schor’s tenure, Lansing was named the number one affordable city to live in the United States based on high quality of life and low cost of living, as well as one of the top cities to live in after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schor is successfully leading Lansing through unprecedented times. Schor’s administration created new programs to assist small businesses, created new resources for struggling homeowners and renters, provided additional shelter and housing options for the homeless, and collaborated with regional partners to assist others in need. He navigated mid-year budget reductions as a result of the pandemic without layoffs or major cuts to City services. And Schor has prioritized making Lansing an inclusive place for all by bringing together local leaders to create and implement a community focused Racial Justice and Equity Plan.
But his work is not finished.
“I am running for a second term because the work of growing Lansing, especially through the COVID-19 pandemic, must continue. We need to update our old infrastructure, ensure safety and security of our residents, build our neighborhoods, create jobs and vibrancy throughout our city, and work with our schools. Significant progress has been made, but there is more work to do and I will continue to pour my heart and soul into Lansing,” Schor stated. “I have healed relationships within the city and with partners throughout the region, and I will continue to work collaboratively towards making Lansing a diverse, dense, livable, and welcoming environment for residents at every stage in life. We will accomplish the goals of the Lansing 2030 plan to grow all parts of Lansing and make Lansing its best self!”
Brian Daniels, a Lansing native and owner of EmPOWer Lansing, introduced Schor in his announcement video. Daniels, a small business owner and combat-wounded Iraq war veteran, voiced his early support for Schor.
“Andy Schor has been a thoughtful leader, digging deep to find solutions to the problems we face in city government. What we can’t risk now is moving backward. Andy Schor is the leader to take us forward and help Lansing continue to thrive,” Daniels said.
Schor thanked Daniels and agreed that now is not the time to move backwards for the city of Lansing.
“I have paid millions of dollars in bills left to me from the previous administration, which have put the City in a tough financial situation. I have also started addressing the massive unfunded liabilities left to the City from the prior administration, resolving $80 million of the problem. At the same time, I have been able to sustain the growth of our city while helping those in need. I will continue to address our challenges to improve Lansing, ensuring we have a city that we take pride in. When the amazing residents of Lansing come together, we can’t lose.”
“As long as I am Mayor, I will fight every day to grow Lansing. I hope to earn your vote to continue the momentum in Lansing for you, your family, your neighborhood, and your future.”
If you only knew what we, Cafecito Caliente are up to. Way too many projects almost ready to be announced. Fun stuff too! With the help of friends from Feldman Chevrolet of Lansing, the Lansing Lugnuts, and MSU Federal Credit Union, we are going to hit more of the 40 ideas that I had written in 2007 that I thought would build community. A big shout out to the folks at Feldman Chevrolet of Lansing. They took a chance on us in May of 2019 sponsoring us for the Cinco de Mayo 5k Run/Walk. General Manager Joseph Rodriguez, Edwin Sanchez, Amber Kristyn Wright Gilberto Gonzales and the rest of the team at Feldman Chevrolet have given Cafecito a chance, and really the Greater Lansing Latino community a chance to build something here that not only builds community, but could lift up your families in ways you didn’t think possible.
I was born and raised in Lansing, son of former farm workers who have dedicated their lives towards helping people with no fanfare. They just do it quietly and almost effortlessly. Feldman Chevrolet offered to help Cafecito build a community. They genuinely care about people. Not just the people they serve, but the community around them. They do this because it’s the right thing to do. And they do it effortlessly and also with no fanfare. These are the kind of people that we need in Lansing – off my soapbox
Feldman Chevrolet website: https://www.feldmanchevyoflansing.com/?fbclid=IwAR27P9tVdspXOBQkS9NdwD4m1IGG9emfMq7uybf7M2A8ZavcjjRChGqXl7o
Feldman Chevrolet Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/feldmanchevyoflansing
