Beautiful Minds: José Vargas Vidot Stefanie Marie Rivera
Drawings abound all over José Vargas Vidot's office at Iniciativa Comunitaria, depicting him as an angel saving the downtrodden, but when asked, Vargas Vidot says he's just doing what he thinks is right. It is precisely this humility that characterizes this man, who proudly wears doctor's scrubs, not because he is a medical doctor but because these same scrubs serve as prisoners' garb, and to them he feels a kinship.
“I was never the honor student. I was never the top of my class. I was the leader of the riff-raff,” explains Vargas Vidot. “I fill every criteria of a failure, which makes me understand perfectly the disadvantaged people, the ones without a home, because I was one of them.”
Vargas Vidot's life began on the Luna and Sol streets of Old San Juan. His family were victims of extreme poverty, his father, a recovering alcoholic who didn't work for long periods of time. His mother cleaned the homes of their neighbors in exchange for food, and his grandmother cleaned offices around Old San Juan well into an advanced age in order to survive. But Vargas Vidot is not looking for pity.
“I don't believe that poverty should be glorified,” explains Vargas Vidot. “Poverty is a product of the wrongful distribution of riches and inequality between social classes, things that should be overcome in this modern world, but haven't been.”
It is his background that makes Vargas Vidot the man he is today, the executive director of the non-profit organization Iniciativa Comunitaria, which aims to assist people in overcoming hardships by guiding them in the right direction. Some of Iniciativa's offerings are alternate medical services for HIV/AIDS patients, treatment and detox facilities for addicts, food and shelter for the homeless, and even counseling to raise awareness of addiction and HIV/AIDS in the community. This organization was created because of Vargas Vidot's belief that, “the sense of community should be based on reciprocity, the cycle of giving and receiving. The Puerto Rican people are accustomed to either giving or receiving, and without these principles no real sense of community can flourish.”
Pensamiento Da Cor: La Nueva Exposición de Marcano La nueva exposición del artista José Marcano se titula PENSAMENTO DA COR, del portugués que en español se traduce a “Pensamiento de Color”. Consta de 17 piezas de impasto con rayado en veladura, con transparencia sobre tela en formato grande.
Ashes to Ashes: Puerto Rico’s Coal Combustion Problem “Toward the end of last February we started to see the trail of ashes,” Miriam Gallardo recalls. “The first thing they did was dig a wide ditch and everything was filled with ashes.”
Power Gallery When people—be they constituents, journalists or dignitaries—visit the governor inside La Fortaleza, they often wait in El Salón de Los Gobernadores, a foir adorned with official paintings of Puerto Rico's governors.
Hell or Highwater
Now well into the second 100 days as Governor of Puerto Rico, the wee morning hours of Nov. 5, 2008, are just a memory to Luis Fortuño. He barely recalls his Brooks Brothers shirt still damp with sweat after a 20-hour day that culminated with his acceptance speech before a throng of New Progressive Party faithful drunk with victory.
The Everyman
If baseball is theater, perhaps an apt title is Everyman, the 15th century morality play about fleeting materialism. In the modern MLB version, Carlos Delgado personifies the protagonist because he is a man possessing a multitude of talents.
Off the Beaten Path Whether your fantasy getaway calls for a secluded beach bungalow, a centuries-old plantation in the mountains, or a jungle-wrapped rainforest retreat, chances are you won't have to wander too far from home— Puerto Rico has just the ticket for turning your craving into a reality.
Not Saying Adiós As Fox's talent showcase “American Idol” crowns its eighth winner this month, Puerto Rican participant Jorge Nuñez wonders what could have been and what might still be...
Legacy of a Legend The Latin music community mourns the passing of prominent music impresario Ralph Mercado. Guarded by his family, Mercado, who managed and recorded artists including Marc Anthony and Tito Puente, lost his battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy of award-winning songs and seminal music concerts that helped define the salsa and Latin music industry.
What’s in a Name? Dressed in an impeccable suit, Donald Trump entered the Ritz Carlton ballroom and sat down flanked by his children Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr. The ballroom filled to capacity; television cameras and reporters festooned the front row. The brouhaha could have easily been confused with a J-Lo sighting, but it was in fact a reception for one of the world’s foremost businessmen.
Gearing Up for Success The production of her first music video should have exhausted Maxinne. But the electro pop star, whose career is just blossoming, soldiers on, practicing choreographies, doing yoga and meditation and gearing up for her Puerto Rican media tour that begins this month.
World Baseball Classic:Play Ball! The World Baseball Classic, Major League Baseball’s answer—they hope— to the world craze over soccer, begins its second run on March 5. Sixteen nations are playing each other for the title of “world champ.”
Green Acres When it comes to the Puerto Rico Open, scheduled for March 9-15, perhaps the saying goes: “the second time is the charm.” The Donald Trump-owned championship golf course that hosts the open has been improved to enhance the degree of difficulty on those championship links.
Beautiful Minds Beauty of intellect, soul and character: Five of Puerto Rico's shining lights share with Metro San Juan the attitudes and philosophies that helped them overcome obstacles and build successful lives.
Comedy King Once the hearse and its accompanying cars drive past him, Santiago continues his commute home, silently. That scene became more poignant on Jan. 15, when Muñiz passed away at age 86 after battling ill health for over a decade.
New Kid on the Block Most Boricua audiences are just now hearing the name Jorge Alberti, but if you ask soap opera fans in Mexico and Chile, chances are they are very well acquainted with that name. The 31-year-old actor already has a well-established resume in Latin TV soaps with the fan base to go along with it.
Beating The Holiday Blues
The ghost of the recession has prevented some diners from enjoying a good night out, but Metro has found a way to beat the recession blues. This article serves as a map to some of the hottest, most relaxed and – above all cost effective– hangouts of the season.
Just A Girl Mayra Matos steps out of her navy-blue sedan, revealing long, elegant legs. They're covered in skin-tight jeans and her bell sleeve shirt reveals a hint of her smooth shoulders. She stands about 6 feet tall in high heels. She wears faux Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses and a frown.
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