Sometimes there is enough space for a story, sometimes there is not enough story for an article, and sometimes simply the frustration of not seeing your story reflects the passion for your profession.
My first chance to feel as a journalist, discovering that I can overcome fears and obstacles is a source of pride. Liberty City Link was an opportunity and a challenge to reinforce my vocation and I am grateful not only because I published my first article, but also because after this experience doubts and insecurities vanished before an astonished glance of hope.
Diego F. Parra
Journalist and Marketing specialist
Friday, June 18, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
To be Consider.....Liberty city is more than a huge indivisible mass.
Our reality is complex and only with the pursuit of individuality and free reasoning is possible to understand and analyze the process of human interaction.
Society is full of colors and shades, differences and convergences that generate tension and conflict. As future journalists we have an obligation to seek new ways to investigate and report events from a more neutral and fair perspective.
The ultimate goal is to try to avoid the constant use of stereotypes and preconceived ideas on topics that touch our ethnic and social reality. For a journalist, it is important to put aside the ego and find a sincere and ongoing contact with communities and different social groups in order to reflect their concerns and ideas in a more accurate and precise manner.
Sometimes a personal experience gives a greater level of depth that a collective experience. That is why, I believe that we should never report a fact or event about a certain racial or ethnic group describing the community as an indivisible mass without form or substance, but instead seek individual stories that might explain the reasons and causes of certain and specific behaviors and ideas that members of a community can have in common.
Liberty City is full of individuals and stories. The individuality is part of good reporting and in order to create a more accurate picture a reporter must humanized and interpret a relative reality avoiding assumptions.
Society is full of colors and shades, differences and convergences that generate tension and conflict. As future journalists we have an obligation to seek new ways to investigate and report events from a more neutral and fair perspective.
The ultimate goal is to try to avoid the constant use of stereotypes and preconceived ideas on topics that touch our ethnic and social reality. For a journalist, it is important to put aside the ego and find a sincere and ongoing contact with communities and different social groups in order to reflect their concerns and ideas in a more accurate and precise manner.
Sometimes a personal experience gives a greater level of depth that a collective experience. That is why, I believe that we should never report a fact or event about a certain racial or ethnic group describing the community as an indivisible mass without form or substance, but instead seek individual stories that might explain the reasons and causes of certain and specific behaviors and ideas that members of a community can have in common.
Liberty City is full of individuals and stories. The individuality is part of good reporting and in order to create a more accurate picture a reporter must humanized and interpret a relative reality avoiding assumptions.
STEREOTYPES BASIS OF DISCRIMINATION
Stereotypes are far from being accurate. The basis of discrimination is often found mostly in stereotypes which are beliefs, ideas and positive or negative feelings toward some people belonging to a particular group. When you make a negative assessment of a group based on stereotypes, the result is prejudice. When prejudices lead a person to act in a certain way about the group the result is discrimination.
It is an error to generalize and misjudge groups, but it is also a mistake to judge people for having certain stereotypes and preconceive ideas of those groups.
To reach a closer sense of objectivity a journalist must investigate for those preconceive ideas and stereotypes. It is also important to dig deeper to look for the causes that trigger those prejudices and ideas. A community produces a common understanding of the world based on their life experiences, their common facts and their myths. All these elements are vital to achieve a closer degree of objectivity.
It is an error to generalize and misjudge groups, but it is also a mistake to judge people for having certain stereotypes and preconceive ideas of those groups.
To reach a closer sense of objectivity a journalist must investigate for those preconceive ideas and stereotypes. It is also important to dig deeper to look for the causes that trigger those prejudices and ideas. A community produces a common understanding of the world based on their life experiences, their common facts and their myths. All these elements are vital to achieve a closer degree of objectivity.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Meet and Greet Event In Support of Dr. Rudolph Moise: Candidate for congress in District 17th.
A meet and Greet event In Support of Dr. Rudolph Rudy Moise Democratic Candidate for Congress in District 17th (District 17 includes Liberty City, Miami, North Miami, Miami Gardens, Opa-Locka, and parts of Miramar, Pembroke Park, & Hollywood) will be held on Friday, July 9, 2010 at 6:00pm in Mahogany Grill located at 2190 Northwest 183rd Street in Miami Gardens.
The event paid and authorized by Moise’s campaign seeks for electoral and financial support.
Moise’s campaigns platform focal points are job creation and health reform implementation for the district.
The congressional candidate believes that his experience will be of great value to work in Washington for the people of Florida’s 17th Congressional District.
Moise, born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti moved to the United States at age 17. he continued his studies and earned his Undergraduate Degree at the University of Illinois and his Doctorate Degree in Osteopathy from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He later gained a Master of Business Administration from The University of Miami and a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law. Moise holds a Flight Surgeon Degree from the US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and serves as a Colonel in the US Air Force Reserve.
Since 1984, Moise has been the President and Medical Director of Comprehensive Health Center, located in the heart of the district, North Miami. The facility has served more than 25,000 people in the local community.
As a businessman, Moise was awarded with the “Black Business of the Year Award” by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and the “Community Leadership Award” in 2004.
The event will end at 9:00 p.m. and free food will be served.
The event paid and authorized by Moise’s campaign seeks for electoral and financial support.
Moise’s campaigns platform focal points are job creation and health reform implementation for the district.
The congressional candidate believes that his experience will be of great value to work in Washington for the people of Florida’s 17th Congressional District.
Moise, born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti moved to the United States at age 17. he continued his studies and earned his Undergraduate Degree at the University of Illinois and his Doctorate Degree in Osteopathy from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. He later gained a Master of Business Administration from The University of Miami and a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law. Moise holds a Flight Surgeon Degree from the US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and serves as a Colonel in the US Air Force Reserve.
Since 1984, Moise has been the President and Medical Director of Comprehensive Health Center, located in the heart of the district, North Miami. The facility has served more than 25,000 people in the local community.
As a businessman, Moise was awarded with the “Black Business of the Year Award” by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and the “Community Leadership Award” in 2004.
The event will end at 9:00 p.m. and free food will be served.
Friday, June 4, 2010
2.5 million Approved for Health Center in Liberty City: A Long-Term Hope.
As part of the State budget, Gov. Charlie Crist reviewed and approved $2.5 million for the construction of a new health clinic in Miami’s Liberty City area. The project proposal made by Democrat Sen. Federica Wilson is part of a $12 million dollars plan aimed at solving the medical needs of one of the most overlooked communities in the City of Miami.
"This is true, Liberty City is a needed and overlooked community and I am not only determine, but willing and engage with this project" Sen. Wilson said.
According to Sen. Wilson, the plan also includes the replacement of three outdated facilities: the Juanita Mann Clinic, the Liberty City Health Center and the James E. Scott Center. Wilson explained that these are 30-year-old clinics that need remodeling and equipment in order to meet technological standards. Two of these medical centers have already closed their doors to the public and transferred their patients to adjacent hospitals.
For Karim Buttler, resident of Liberty city, open a new health center is a good idea because there are a lot of people that need help and treatment. He believes that the community needs health Centers that that are willing to help. For Buttler, the majority of small clinics does not really care for the people in the neighborhood, but instead only think of their monetary benefit.
“Just open that one up and see how things go, if the health center works, open up some more,” Buttler said.
According to Michael West, who also resides in Liberty City, most people in the community can’t afford to pay for health care. For West, the clinic should be free for the needy and for the kids.
“Look around, Look at the kids. They need medical care and people can’t afford to pay for a good health service for their sons and daughters,” west said.
The new clinic will comply with all the standards of eligibility. It will be open for everyone and depending on the income the patient will pay for the service. According to documents provided by Sen. Wilson Aid, Chauncey Graham, the advantages of the project comprise: better coordination of health services, early detection and treatment, reduction in health care costs and improved opportunities for public health education.
The facility will be a one-stop-shop streamlining services for Liberty City residents that currently are receiving care from one or more providers. The new construction of 35,280-square-foot will be located in two lots at NW 74th Street and NW 27th Avenue currently owned by the Office of Community and Economic Development of Miami-Dade County.
According to Lillian Rivera, Miami-Dade Health Department Administrator, the clinic will offer primary health care for the Liberty city community. Rivera also said that the clinic will be managed by the Miami-Dade Health department and it will have a staff from 60 to 100 employees between doctors, nurses and social workers.
“The plan has a total cost of $12 million, of course, we need more funding and we are going to propose $9.5 million more next march. Right now the money is going to be invested in the selection of contractors and architects in order to implement and develop the construction design.” Rivera said, “This is a wonderful thing that is happening for Liberty City and I promise that is going to become a reality. I want to thank Senator Wilson for her initiative and engagement in this project.”
The Miami-Dade Health Department expects the clinic to start operating by 2012.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
2.5 million In the budget for a health center in Miami's Liberty City area could be vetoed
Florida lawmakers spent this year's legislative meeting lamenting a lack of money. But that didn't stop them from trying to bring home health and human-service programs in Miami-Dade districts including Liberty City.
Officials approved a $70.4 billion financial plan on April 30, the very last day of the legislative session. Gov. Charlie Crist has until today (Friday May 28th) to sign the budget and issue vetoes if he considers that the spending on those local projects are not priorities and do not meet the criteria.
Legislators defend spending on local projects that according to them address legitimate needs for their communities. According to lawmakers health and human-service programs are very important to their districts and communities and should be inescapable priorities. For the representatives the power of the Legislature should decide what gets included in the budget.
Gov. Charlie Crist will be issuing budget vetoes later in the day, and it is uncertain if the health budget that includes $2.5 million for a health center in Miami's Liberty City area will be approve.
Officials approved a $70.4 billion financial plan on April 30, the very last day of the legislative session. Gov. Charlie Crist has until today (Friday May 28th) to sign the budget and issue vetoes if he considers that the spending on those local projects are not priorities and do not meet the criteria.
Legislators defend spending on local projects that according to them address legitimate needs for their communities. According to lawmakers health and human-service programs are very important to their districts and communities and should be inescapable priorities. For the representatives the power of the Legislature should decide what gets included in the budget.
Gov. Charlie Crist will be issuing budget vetoes later in the day, and it is uncertain if the health budget that includes $2.5 million for a health center in Miami's Liberty City area will be approve.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
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