Calming The Anger Storms

Rescheduled Presentation September is Hispanic Heritage month.  We are so thrilled that Jesse is with us.  . In 1982, Jesse Bermudez, and others, united to protest poor working conditions for Latino musicians in the North Philadelphia club scene. The musicians went on strike and succeeded in raising their nightly pay. Riding the wave of that success, Jesse and the other founders created  La Asociación de Músicos Latino Americanos, to represent and advocate for Latin musicians and music in Philadelphia. La Asociación first offered music classes in 1984, and the music school was formally founded in 1986. Record numbers of students were served, and topnotch special events were created and hosted. In the 1990s through 2004, they continued to significantly raise the profile of Latin music and musicians in Philadelphia..  Mr. Bermudez continues to serve the Philadelphia Latino community as the co-presenter of Salsa Caliente. Since Fall 2010, Salsa Caliente goers have enjoyed non-stop flight service from the fringes of Old City to the heart of Old San Juan alongside the hottest large music ensembles from the region.   Mr Bermudez is a Grammy-nominated producer/radio personality, arts education champion, and music curator. He is known for his instrumental role in Papo Vasquez’s 2008 Album, “Marooned/Aislado“, which garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album. His also was the main personality on the Saturday brunch-time show, ‘Sonido Diferente’ on Mega 1310 AM, which showcased regional Latino talent, as well as highlighted the multi-layered soul of the Latin music genre, with urban, soul, & jazz-inflected selections, that aren’t heard in mainstream Latin radio. Please welcome Jesse to our show!

We continue our look at the area schools.  We look particularly at the challenges we expect the children and parents to face this school year.  Our guest this week is Connie Grier.   Connie Grier has been professionally engaged in instruction and educational management, within the public school arena, for over 20 years.  She has a strong commitment to social justice, parental engagement, relationship building and the development of students and staff. As an Assistant Principal, she collaborated with the families of her students for academic success and secured needed supports for her school community.  She continues to serve families in several school districts through her 501c3 non-profit organization, The RESPECT Alliance (www.therespectalliance.org).  This is an organization devoted to bringing the “respect” back to interactions between home and school and to increasing parental advocacy.   She has authored and published a book “The ABC’s of Mentoring: A Bi-Weekly Road Map to Uplifting Youth” available on Amazon.com (http://amzn.to/14yG60f ).  She is a contributing author for ParentNet.com, a national educational organization. She is also a Fellow with the Center for Progressive Leadership, and an Adjunct Professor at Wilmington University http://www.progressiveleaders.org. Follow her on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/CKGConsults   We are so excited.  Tune in to hear what Connie has to say.  You will not be disappointed.

Welcome back. Our guest for this show is Ms. Quibilia A. Divine, President of The Educational Advocates Reaching Today's Hardworking Students Inc.  Ms. Divine is the former Assistant Director for Public Engagement at the School District of Philadelphia. In this show we will discuss the challenges faced by parents and students in the School District of Philadelphia.  We will discuss the academic issues as well as the emotional issues experienced in the schools and the schools' way of dealing with both.  This will be one of those don't want to miss this show events.

We bring back Steven Wolf, PhD.  Dr Wolf. is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Private Practice in West Los Angeles and has conducted growth workshops throughout the U.S. since 1986. After teaching Anger Management for the past five years he was recently recognized as having Diplomate status by the National Anger Management Association. Most recently he founded the Wolf Training Institute to train and certify mental health practitioners to teach the Taming Your Anger/ Building Blocks for Emotional Intelligence Program which has been recognized by the National Anger Management Association. Dr. Wolf discusses Anger among the Veteran population and interventions appropriate for this population..

I write these show notes with tears in my eyes.  I have done this show for two years and I have never been more proud to present a guest as I am for this show.  I met a young Latino man at the Philadelphia Free Library one night.  I was asked to go by another man I deeply respect.  Little did I know just what this man would come to mean to me.  He is an inspiration, he is a model to emulate, he is a healer, and, in my humble opinion, he is the best of the best! Captain Luis Carlos Montalván is an author.  Yet, he is much more!  He is a healer.  He takes the wounds we do not understand and often feel isolated as a result, and gives them reason.  His highly acclaimed book, Until Tuesday, is taking this nation by their hearts strings.  It is a story of love.  Not between a man and a woman but between a man and his dog.  Yet, this relationship is more deep and loving then many relationships I have seen as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Captain Montalvan is a Veteran of the Iraq war.  He reveals his experiences in the war but more, his is a story of a Veteran in this nation after returning from war. I cried, I smiled, but most of all I feel whole.  I now know my injuries are not unique to me.  Thank you Captain Montalvan.  As a proud member of Latin American Post 840, American Legion, I salute you.  I am humbled and immensely proud to call you friend!