The DREAM Act

Each year, about 65,000 undocumented students in the United States graduate from high school. And each year, those are another 65,000 young people who potentially could have been the next greatest doctor, lawyer or entrepreneur.  But because of current long and strict legalization processes, many of these young folks are not able to work, drive, or even vote. Undocumented students will not be able to obtain a higher education, undocumented workers will not be able to succeed in the professional world, and America will suffer because of it. But there could be a more practical passage to citizenship for these young Americans at heart – the DREAM Act.

     “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” Most of us learn this in grade school; kindergarten or first grade at the latest. Students in the United States pledge to the US flag every day all through elementary school, middle school, and sometimes even high school. They take American history classes; and the purpose is for them to learn how this country came to be, and how we can learn from our founding fathers (immigrants) to make this country better for everybody. But the undocumented students attending these schools, taking these classes and living an American lifestyle can’t help make this country better because the country that they call “home” will not allow them to contribute. Immigrant children who are brought by their parents to this country learn to embrace the culture of Americans, not because they “want” or “have” to, but because it becomes all they know; America is their home. For most, English is their first and only language. And many of these children grow up not knowing that they are “illegal”. Undocumented students, many of who are valedictorians or on the honor roll, find themselves not being able to pursue their dreams, which is why they are “the dreamers”. So what’s the point? What’s the point of making the honor roll if it is no use to them anyway? They can’t go to college, and is that fair? President Obama said, “They are Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper.” If coming into this country illegally is a crime, they were not the ones to commit the crime. They had no choice when they came and did not know really what was happening or why they were being brought here. All they know is that this is all they know. This is where they grew up, went to school, created memories, and expected to build their lives. The DREAM Act would be a way America of telling them, “We understand it’s not your fault that you’re here, and if you agree to abide by the rules of this law and contribute to this country, we will legally allow you to consider America your home.” They are Americans, just not legally.

The DREAMers, as they are called, grow up in this country and call it their home; they and their parents contribute to the economy by paying taxes just like citizens do, even if they are at risk of being deported. Most try to play fair. Giving undocumented students the opportunity to receive a college education and obtain higher-paying jobs will greatly benefit this country. It means more money for the economy! If more people go to college that means colleges will receive more money, and the more students there are, the more job openings for professors there will be. If more undocumented students are able to obtain higher-paying jobs, they will pay more in taxes and have means to buy more taxed products, which will also help the economy. If more students graduated from college, and more young folks opened businesses, there would be more jobs for everybody. Each of the 65,000 undocumented high-school graduates could have been one more entrepreneur each year -- but because we refuse to pass this act, that’s another 65,000 less new businesses in the United States, that would potentially create more jobs and move the economy. It’s all a domino effect, and it all starts with the DREAM Act.

America is made up of immigrants. At some point or another, all of our ancestors came from a different country. So now that we’re here, living the American Dream, why is it that we’re so selfish and can’t let new immigrants live that American Dream, too? If they are good people, are willing to work hard and embrace the culture of this country, why not allow them to be part of it? In other words, the DREAM Act would technically only legalize “good” immigrants; those who have “stayed out of trouble” and stayed in school. Having young people who are multi-cultural and multi-lingual helps with international relations and various other industries. And because this country is made up of so many people who speak so many languages, more and more jobs are in need of workers that are multi-lingual, including health care, education and hospitality.

People across the United States have rallied to support President Obama’s decision to “halt” the deportation of young undocumented Americans.  Not allowing the DREAM Act to pass will greatly affect young, undocumented Americans, jobs, and the United States. Everybody knows that America has been known to be the “land of opportunities”. So why not give these undocumented students, who are in this country (their home) at no fault, the opportunity to be a part of it? Lets allow them to contribute to our economy, to help find cures to diseases, to fight for this country in the armed forces, to become entrepreneurs and create more jobs. It really is a win-win situation.

My Favoritest Thing Right Now

My gorgeous apricot Revolution handbag.
Bought at Ross; only $29.99!
Can't beat that! :)

Sexy for South Beach

137.

That was the number I saw when I stepped on the scale this morning. Not exactly where I’d like to be, especially since I have a trip planned to Miami next month.

Let’s face it, mini Latin America in south Florida is known to have some (and probably most) of the best-looking people in the US. Everybody’s got that sexy beach-bod; flat tummies and six-packs.

And at 5’3 (and 137 lb), I’m not so sure if I’ll be able to be my confident, cheery self; more like a quiet, self-conscious version of myself with a wittle belly that looks more like a baby bump. Ouch.

I've struggled with my weight since I reached my teen years, and being Latina didn't necessarily help. I'm not just talking about the latin curves, I'm talking about the food culture; arepas, tres-leches, chicharrones. It's all so good, but so bad for the waist-line. As a Venelombian (Venezuelan & Colombian) with strong cultural roots, foods like these are often difficult to avoid.

Two years ago, it would have been easier to get down to a goal-weight – I simply would just not eat. If I needed to lose a few extra pounds for an upcoming occasion, water took place of meals for the few days leading up to it. (And after, I’d simply binge).

Of course, that was not the best way of life; I was miserable being a victim of two eating disorders. I lived that way for almost three years and, even though I was fitting into size-2 jeans, it wasn’t worth it.

This time around, I’m going to re-approach my dieting smartly.

Since I am going to Miami, it only makes sense to go about a diet that originated there – the South Beach Diet.

Written by a medical doctor, The South Beach Diet has become my summer reading after purchasing it at a local thrift store in Brandon, FL.

This diet will not only help me “get sexy” for Miami, (and hopefully it will), but will also curb and diminish my cravings for ice-cream and Nutella; my two guilty pleasures. (God, I hope it works!)

Reality is:  If I want to lose the weight, the chicharrones and Nutella must wait! 

I’ve got everything I need; my bible (South Beach Diet book) and my RunKeeper app to keep track of my daily exercises.

So, dear Miami, be ready!

If you, too, are on a quest to lose weight this summer, I challenge you to go for it! Join me!  :)

You May Not Be As Healthy As You Think

Why Multi-Vitamins are Essential to Your Health
By Gabriella Marin

My dad was an avid reader, his favorite topics being nutrition and healthy living. He made sure that every morning before school I’d take my daily vitamin… those Flintstones ones, remember those? Of course, I didn’t really understand why I had to take the vitamin; it looked like a little candy so I'd happily eat it without asking questions.

But for some reason, as I got older, I found that I slowly stopped taking my multi-vitamins, and slowly began feeling less alert. Actually, I know of a handful of people who used to take vitamins as a child but stopped as they started to grow older.

So what makes us think it’s okay to stop taking our daily multi-vitamin once we reach adulthood? Is it because we think we are now big and healthy? Big? Yes. Healthy? Don’t be so sure.

Many Americans don’t realize that the foods today are not providing all the nutrients and minerals their bodies need to stay healthy. Even if a person is eating a balanced diet everyday and eats the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, there are numerous things that affect and prevent our bodies from absorbing the necessary nutrients it needs, including:

·     Farming; modern-day farming practices are not the same as they were 200 years ago. We use pesticides, synthetic chemicals, herbicides, and more! The use of chemicals affects the way produce grows and naturally develops its natural nutrients.

·     Cooking; did you know that if you cook food over 118 degrees, all of its nutrients and enzymes are practically destroyed? The enzymes in “live” foods aid in digestion and can help prevent diseases such as arthritis and cancer.

·     Processed foods; the worse of all. How many isles would you say a grocery store has? 15? Maybe even 20? If you’ve noticed, most of the refrigerated section goes around the store, and most of those foods are the less processed ones. Think of the grocery store's layout as a "U" with a bunch of lines in the middle. The "U" is the refrigerated section; the lines are the grocery isles (or pantry foods). So guess what types of foods are stocked in all of those isles that are not in the refrigerated section. Processed foods that are filled with chemicals to keep them from going bad in your pantry.

When I do my grocery shopping I try to stay away from the isles as much as possible because I know that the freshest foods are OUTSIDE the grocery isles; in the "U". Fruits, veggies, deli meats, cheese and dairy, etc.

But you might say, “Apple sauce is inside the grocery isles, and it’s healthy, isn’t it?” For the most part it can be. But unless “apples” is the first ingredient on the ingredients list and it is not packed with sugar, you're much better off eating a fresh apple (preferably organic) from the produce section, or the "U".

I’ll be the first to admit that I have no time to make myself a healthy and wholesome breakfast in the morning. It’s so much more practical to grab a granola bar (which is likely full of sugar), a breakfast sandwich in a drive-thu, or skip breakfast all together. During lunch break, 30 minutes is not enough time to go home and create a healthy meal, so I go with a sandwich or last night’s leftovers I brought from home. And for dinner, sometimes I’ll cook, and sometimes it’s just easier to pop in a TV-dinner in the microwave.

And like me, there are many others. Keeping a balanced diet and making sure you get the necessary vitamins and nutrients your body needs to stay healthy is a lot harder these days than it may seem. That’s why it is so important that we keep taking our daily multi-vitamins even after childhood.

Just like children need vitamins to grow healthy and strong, adults need vitamins to STAY healthy and strong. Nutrition though our diets is simply not enough anymore, unfortunately. It is recommended to take a daily multi-vitamin every day to:

·         Keep our defenses strong

·         Prevent sickness and diseases

·         Get the Recommended Daily Allowance of nutrients

·         Activate enzymes essential to cellular function

·         So much more!

4Rivers Smokehouse owner John Rivers shares his story

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – As one of the most talked-about barbeque restaurants in the Orlando area, 4Rivers Smokehouse proudly inaugurated its second location in Winter Garden, Florida this April.

Having not attended any culinary institute, founder and owner John Rivers has managed to create unique sauces for his famous and much-loved Angus brisket and pulled pork recipes. Facebook fan, Cindy LeGros said, “4 Rivers has the BEST brisket.”

The former president of a pharmaceutical operation, Rivers decided to quit his high-ranking job position and make his passion for cooking his new life and career. Rivers is a firm believer in doing what you love, and even though he admits that the first few weeks at the smokehouse were tough, he absolutely loves it. “I’m having too much fun right now,” he said.

Rivers' barbeque “business” originally began as a church fund-raising event in hopes of raising money to help a family in need. Today, 4Rivers Smokehouse employees make sure to set a monthly budget and continue the tradition of fulfilling donation requests for various organizations and people in the community.

Valencia professor and customer of 4Rivers Smokehouse, Ken Carpenter, has witnessed some of the busiest days at the smokehouse. “There was a line out the door,” said Carpenter. “I spent 20 minutes in the line."

Rivers said that parking is even sometimes a problem because of the tremendous overflow of loyal customers that want to go in and get their 4Rivers barbeque.  “It’s a very busy place,” said Rivers. “There’s no downtime.”

The rush of the people coming in and out of the restaurant still excites Rivers despite all of the hard work he and his employees put in. “Saturday is my favorite day of the week,” said Rivers. It is the day that he gets to personally serve his customers on the line along with his employees.

Although 4Rivers is considered to be a Texas smokehouse, Rivers confessed that his recipes are inspired by many other American barbeque cooking traditions, including those of Kansas’, Alabama’s, and the Carolinas’.

4Rivers Smokehouse serves the Ocoee, Clermont, Windermere, and Winter Garden areas. Rivers revealed that a third location in Longwood is already in the works, with hopes of one day reaching his goal of 24 locations.

Rob Jones performs at the Dandelion Communitea Café in Orlando

Local artist Rob Jones performed songs from his latest album, “Gypsy Heart”

By Gabriella Marin

Friday, March 25, 2011

ORLANDO, Fla. – At the young age of 24, Rob Jones shows no signs of wanting to do anything else with his life except focus on his music. “I’ve always done music; never done anything else,” said Jones as he set up his musical equipment outside the Dandelion Communitea Café on Friday.

Of all the career options available to Jones, this North Carolina southern boy has chosen music. Jones learned a valuable lesson through his mom. “I grew up watching my mom work a job that she hated,” said Jones. “My mom is a brilliant poet and can draw amazingly, but she had to put that dream on hold to raise her kids.” Jones wants to make sure he is on the career path of happiness and do what he loves now – music.

A self-taught guitar and piano player, Jones first showed an interest for singing. “I sang before I spoke,” he said.

Children’s choirs, church choirs, and music solos at school… Jones has done it all. He tells of the times when he’d beg hotel lounge managers to let him play, and sometimes there wasn’t even an audience to play for. “It was really just me playing for the couches,” said Jones, “but I loved it because it was a chance to play.”

Having seen Jones perform countless times since she was a child, close friend Leah Greenslade has had the privilege to see Jones grow with his music over the years. “He wasn’t always ‘this’ when I met him,” said Greenslade. “There can’t be a way that he won’t get famous.”

Before his performance outside the Dandelion Communitea Café, Jones made it clear that he was going to stay up on stage playing until he was kicked off.

Along with playing songs from his new album, “Gypsy Heart,” Jones also had the audience laughing and cheering as he performed a medley covering songs by Alicia Keys, Tom Petty, Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson.

Audience member, Anthony Paez, agrees that Jones is not far from being famous. “I don’t have a doubt that we’ll be hearing him soon on the radio,” said Paez.

Although his music has somewhat of a soulful sound, Jones has struggled to break into the music scene because he has no specific genre. “I let people define me,” said Jones.

Being definable with his music is something that Jones least worries about. “I just write and perform what comes out; how I feel on a particular day or what mood I’m in,” said Jones. He refuses to put barriers to his music and feels that doing so will throw off people who wouldn’t normally listen to his “folky, soul” sound.

“Life is always tough,” said Jones. He simply wants the public to use his music as “escapism” from everyday life without worrying about what “category” of music it is.

Throughout the show, Jones sold and signed copies of his album, “Gypsy Heart.” Jones’s website provides links to his social-networking websites and a brief biography. Visit: RobJonesMusic.com.

SPCA strives to “go out of business"

Wildlife specialist, Helmut Hiller, speaks about pet overpopulation and volunteer opportunities at SPCA


ORLANDO, Fla. -- An audience of potential, pet-loving volunteers filled the meeting room of the SPCA of Central Florida humane society. Helmut Hiller, an environmental and wildlife specialist, spoke Saturday, Feb. 5, about the various volunteer opportunities and the importance of accomplishing SPCA’s number-one vision -- to go out of business.

Even though the SPCA gets about 14,000 pets each year, Hiller hopes that one day that number will become zero.  “The problem is that we have pet overpopulation,” he said. “We have too many dogs and cats and not enough homes for them. The vision is to put ourselves out of business and for every pet to have a home.”

Hiller declared that one of the main reasons for pet overpopulation is the lack of education. “People don’t know better,” he said. He explained that the lack of awareness on puppy mills and the importance of spaying and neutering is contributing to the immense overflow of pets. “If people would adopt dogs and spay and neuter their pets, we wouldn’t be having this problem as big as it is,” said Hiller.

Hiller made sure that all potential volunteers understood the importance of spreading awareness and their would-be involvement as “ambassadors” of the SPCA. “If you go out there and spread the word, it helps us out a lot. That’s one of the missions of the volunteers here,” he said.

The audience listened intently as Hiller also went over the wide-variety of volunteer opportunities at the SPCA. “The ‘bark buddy’ is the most popular one,” said Hiller about the pet- and customer-interactive position. “It’s fun, but it’s hard work.” There are over 10 different volunteer positions.

Rose Smith*, a current volunteer at the SPCA, enjoys being part of the organization. “I love volunteering here," she said. "I’m a dog person, so it’s an interesting experience.” She admires what the SPCA does and their respect for animals, unlike other shelters where dogs and cats are euthanized if not adopted within days of going in.

Volunteering at the SPCA is perfect for anyone who loves animals, is looking to pursue a career in the veterinary field, or simply needs volunteer hours. “Working here is a hands-on experience.  If this is your passion, then this is the best place to do it,” said Hiller.

All potential volunteers had the opportunity to take a tour through the facilities before making their final decisions.

If you would like to find out more on how you could volunteer or support the SPCA, visit their website: OrlandoPets.org.

*Last name not actual.