Birth of the Calle Ocho Festival :: Little Havana Miami Latin Culture

The Birth of the Calle Ocho Festival In the heart of Miami, Florida, the Calle Ocho Festival is an event open to people of all ethnic backgrounds and age groups. This event dates back to the late seventies. The festival originated in 1977. It was organized by two men, Leslie Pantà ­n Jr. and Willy Bermello, who wanted to start a project with the Miami Herald to bring the community closer together. They decided on a festival while scribbling on the back of a place mat at lunch one day at the Red Coach Inn during the summer of 1977. Pantà ­n and Bermello's goal was to have a street party that would display the Latin-American lifestyle in the city of Miami for non-Spanish speakers. Today, this festival has grown into the largest Hispanic festival held in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of people attend the event for the dancing, eating, and getting to know everyone and everything that is part of Little Havana. The Calle Ocho festival was originally named the Open House Eight, because the two organizers wanted the festival to be an open welcome to southwest Eighth Street. With no credit, Pantà ­n and Bermello ran into a slight problem with their idea. They needed money to start up their plan for the festival. Relying solely on the aid of friends for finance, they managed to raise $37,000 to put on a fifteen block street party. However, Pantà ­n and Bermello still needed coverage for the new festival. Thanks to knocking on many doors, making presentations to advertisers, and receiving television coverage, they received all the publicity they needed. People from all over South Florida came to attend the Calle Ocho festival. The first festival, held in 1978, was a major success. Music, food, dancing, and smiling faces are some of the many attractions you may find at this festival. Performers such as Willy Chirino, Oscar de Leon, El Gran Combo, Celia Cruz, The Barrio Boys, and Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, among others, have performed during the past twenty years. Salsa, merengue, cumbia, and guaguancà ³ dancers fill the streets of Little Havana every year.

Racism and Reconstruction :: essays papers

Racism and Reconstruction Although Lincoln's Plan of Reconstruction was not put into effect in the South after the Civil War, if it had been racism would have been almost completely avoided in the 20th century. Licoln's proposed plan was called the "10% Plan." It called for 10% of the people would voted in the 1860 Election to take a pledge of loyalty to the Union. This plan was met by harsh oppostion by the Radical Republicans in Congress who viewed the South as conquered territory. These Radicals said that Lincoln's plan was much too soft. In return, Republicans in Congress then moved to pass the Wade-Davis Bill in 1864. This bill required that a majority of the South would have to take an iron clad oath that the had never supported the Confederacy. The Wade-Davis bill was pocket-vetoed by Lincoln who was assassinated shortly after. Johnson took over the presidency and his Plan of Reconstruction was passes. Instead of Lincoln's "10% Plan", Johnson's Plan of Reconstuction was put into effect. Johnson's plan was much more acrimonious towards the South. Johnson's plan demanded that the South nullify their secessions, hold stae conventions, adopt the 13th amendment, re-elect Congressmen, The question of how to reconstruct the devistated South after the Civil War was one of immense importance in many aspects. Most would argue that the problems involving the South adjusting socially to the notion of liberated blacks was the msot heated issue. It was an issue that encompassed both a change in lifestyle as well as in longstanding moral values. Both Presdential and Congressional plans were developed in an attempt to ensure Reconstruction would be as smooth as a political, economic and social revolution as humanly possible. President Abraham Lincoln believed from the start of the War, and therefore the start of Reconstruction, that the Southern states had never legally seceded from the Untion. Therefore his plan for reconstruction would be aimed at preserving the peace of the Union and fairly rebuilding the South. Lincoln's "10 % Plan" was the Presidential attempt to see to it that the South would adhere to the ideals surrounding emancipation. Lincoln claimed he would then work on re-developing the structure of each state government. The difference of opinion between the President and Congress over this matter not only revealed the differences between each sector politically, but set the stage for heated emotions in regards to emancipation. This whole chain of events was much a part of the seperation now existing within political parties, as well as dividing views held by

Labour Welfare Reforms

How Successful were the Reforms of the Post War Labour Government 1945-51 in Solving the Social Problem that Faced Britain? By Nicole Anderson In May 1945, the coalition government that had steered Britain through the perilous days of the Second World War was finished. It was replaced by the Labour party who had the challenging task of rebuilding the country after the losses of the Second World War. The Labour government of 1945 made the first drastic steps towards the welfare state. William Beveridge had been commissioned to write a report on the causes of poverty and this became the basis for the Labour reforms.These reforms identified that there were five ‘giants’ of poverty (Squalor, Want, Disease, Ignorance, and Idleness), all of which would have to be defeated in order to eradicate poverty. The attempts to tackle these giants varied greatly in their levels of success and achievements of the aims to defeat poverty. Right wing historian Barnett criticised the Labour government reforms saying that â€Å"expenditure should have been focussed on the economy†, especially after Britain’s involvement and loss in WW2.Whereas, modern historian Martin Pugh defends these reforms arguing that the expense was worthwhile as the reforms dramatically reduced poverty and had a positive effect on the economy therefore stressing their importance. Therefore, I believe that it can be argued that the reforms of the Post War Labour government were successful in lessening the social problems that faced Britain through the tireless efforts of passing successful and adequate reforms.One of the five identified giants was â€Å"Want† which directly related to the poverty that was being experienced by Britain. Before, Britain failed to possess any sort of systematic security system and the few benefits that existed already were very selective and often means tested. However, in 1946 the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act was passed which pro vided compensation for injuries at work. This was a successful improvement for social conditions in Britain as it was the first time women got paid the same rate as men.This was successful as it closed the gap between gender inequalities and also meant that women would also be able to pull themselves and their family out of poverty. In addition, the National Insurance Act of 1946 was also passed which was successful as it established the slogan of the Labour party â€Å"from cradle to grave†. It was one of its successes as it provided for all and all adults were involved – which can be argued again in strengthening the idea of equality among everyone.It covered all stages of life that before were described as a struggle and included maternity, sickness, unemployment benefits, a retirement pension and a death grant. This was a successful notion as now everyone was given the opportunity to receive â€Å"a helping hand† and therefore, it made it easier for families to lift themselves out of poverty and create a better standard of living for themselves. Similarly, the National Assistance Act 1948 was successful in reducing the levels of poverty as it acted as a safety net to meet the needs of those not covered by National Insurance.This again highlights Labour’s success in the field of reducing poverty as it encouraged and maintained the feeling of financial stability for the people of Britain, particularly of the lower classes – therefore boosting the success of the Labour reforms. However, on the other hand it can also be argued that its success is very limited as in theory; National Assistance was supposed to only act as a backup with most people being covered by National Insurance. However, this was not exactly the case and many were forced to apply for National Assistance which limited its success.In addition to this limitation, by the early 1950s, 68% of all National Assistance went to supplement pensions. However, since Na tional Assistance was still ‘means tested’ many old people were reluctant to apply for it! This limitation was due to the fact that they remembered the dreaded means test of the 1930s and it can be argued to limits its success as it meant this proportion of the populations remained unprotected and at a higher risk of poverty. Although, the opposite argument that it was successful essentially, should not be ultimately forgotten.In can be argued that these reforms were an improvement to the old social security system even though it can also be this new system could be expanded. Another argument that illustrates its blatant success is that the real value of pensions increased dramatically since the 1930s meaning that the elderly population benefited from it enormously. In addition, historians such as Pat Thane argue that the social security system was of real advantage to women and lower classes – this was particularly successful as it showed how beneficial it was i n their struggle to lift themselves out of poverty.Historian Thane wholly backs up this viewpoint by stating the social security system was â€Å"a real advantage especially of many woman and also those of the lower middle class† therefore showing how the success of it affected all ends of the social spectrum. However, the most important piece of evidence to suggest its ultimate success is that Rowntree did a second survey of poverty in 1950 and found that poverty in York was down to 2%, compared to 36% in 1936. Therefore, this significant decrease is simple evidence that shows the dramatic impact of the Labour reforms related directly to â€Å"Want†.Thus, it proves that in this sense these reforms were very successful. Disease was the second giant that was tackled and again, was arguably a reasonable success and even argued to be the â€Å"greatest achievement† of the welfare state. Beforehand, only less than half the population were covered by existing health insurance set by the Liberals in 1911. Those who were not covered still had to pay for a doctor at a great expense. In addition, hospitals still relied on voluntary efforts and therefore suffered as a result – these reforms were successful as they completely revolutionised this old system.The NHS Act was passed in 1946 but came into practise by 1948. It offered a full range of help; free treatment from GPs, specialists, free hospital treatments, free eye and dental treatments, spectacles and hearing facilities – this would have greatly increased the overall health of the nation which boosts its success as a reform. However, on the other hand it is important to remember that this health care reform was of an enormous expense, to the point that National Insurance funds did not cover it.This therefore meant that they had to backtrack on â€Å"free for all† and even had to place charges on prescriptions, spectacles and dental treatment which acts as its biggest limi tation as it slightly contradicts its original intention. However, even though this was the case millions of people continued to be treated and their health improved nonetheless which illustrates its success Right wing historians argue that the NHS was too generous in allowing to get free dentures and prescriptions, that there were too wasteful of resources.Furthermore, there still remains great historical debate that it seemed overgenerous for a country so recently battered economically by the world war. Critics similarly argue that the Labour government should have concentrated on the rebuilding of shattered industries than reforming the healthcare system so radically – Cornelli Bernett argues that the NHS was too expensive, and the government should have got the economy on track first. However, left wing historians argue very much in favour of it stating t was a radicalisation that was necessary to improve the health of Britain and that it is the government’s respon sibility to look after the health of it’s population. Also, it is important to remember that those who were treated would be able to return to work and by doing this, contribute to the recovering economy – in the long term the economy would put itself back on track by a healthy workforce. This reform can also be said to be a success as it provided a universal health service without any insurance qualifications of any sort, this shows its success as anyone could qualify for it, meaning anyone could be helped.However, the biggest factor that demonstrate its success is that the queues of people who claimed highlights the extent of the untreated problems – 8. 5million dental patients were treated in the first year and 5 million spectacles were issued. However, this can also be interpreted as people just being inquisitive or looking to get something for free though it seems much more pragmatic and concrete that it is simply illustrating the scale of the problem.Anoth er argument that shows its success is that it was free, so those who normally would fail to afford it had a chance to finally be treated, recover from their illness and pursue a career – earning a living, lifting them out of poverty and contributing to the economy.. Its success is based on the sheer amount accomplished from its start and therefore, it can be argued that again reforms in this area were of great success. The third giant tackled was â€Å"Ignorance† and focussed on the education of children in Britain. It can be argued that it was not the most successful factor although it cannot be denied that it did have some effect.The problems faced before these reforms were in need of fixing – education was disrupted by the evacuation during the War, as well as the training of teachers. In addition there was a shortage of schools; most were in a poor condition which meant the quality of education was directly affected. The Education Act 1944 raised the school leaving age to 15 which can be argued to be successful as it expanded its accessibility. A three level education of technical, grammar and secondary modern schools were created which can also be argued to be reasonably successful as it catered for the specific needs and learning styles of Britain’s students.The â€Å"11 plus† exam was created for this purpose which decided what type of school the child would attend. Its success can be determined as those who passed this exam, the system worked well for. It can be argued that this reform was successful as it offered working class children a chance to ultimately go to a good school and receive an education that would lead to a University degree and a better quality of life. However, the opposite argument suggests that these reforms were limited in success, especially those who failed this exam.Its lack of credit is measured in the fact these children were expected to leave school by 15, go into low skilled work and thous ands of children were basically trapped in a world of low paid work and inferior education – they were expected to fail. It was argued that it was unsuccessful as it was unfair to determine a child’s future at such a young age and ultimately, was not fair. The argument is that there was no equality of opportunity and 75% of pupils were classed as non-academic, completely diminishing the chances of going on to higher education.However, the failures of this reform were not its only aspects; it did have some positive effect on the education system. One of its most important successes is that it raised the leaving age to 15 meaning that education was prolonged for thousands, education was begun to be seen as a right. It also meant that more of an opportunity was given those from a poorer background to access education – this demonstrates its reasonable success. In addition, another great success worthy of noting is that emergency training schemes for 35,000 teachers were established.This is an important success as it generally raised the quality of education for pupils, improving their chances of better qualifications and extending their knowledge; a great success for their later lives. Another success is that free school milk was introduced which was beneficial as it provided nutrition for pupils also. Although this reform had obvious flaws it was accepted as a success due to the natural cause of post war problems; it was accepted that it would take a generation to solve these problems.However, it may also be suggested that Labour cannot actually take credit for any of this success as the 1944 Education Act was R. A. Butler’s Act who was a Conservative. It can be argued there is a fine line between how successful the Labour Government was in bringing these improvements to education when originally, it was not theirs to bring. However, the majority of their input was through implementing these successful changes so credit towards them t herefore cannot be overlooked. Overall, it can be argued that this reform was of limited success, especially considering the fact that Labour is a arty that stands for equality yet the whole new system of education was wholly divisive. However, it was not to the point where it can be classed as unsuccessful – it set the foundations for a fairer education system and was as successful as it could be considering the state of Britain after the war. The fourth giant was Squalor and focussed on the issue of housing and could also be argued to be a great success. 1945 saw overcrowding as a huge national dilemma, with approximately 750,000 houses destroyed during the War. There was also a desperate lack of workers and timber.There was also a significant population increase by 1 million so more houses were an absolute need. The government’s priority became to house the homeless and did so by building â€Å"prefabs† or â€Å"factory made houses†, as well as buildin g good quality council houses with low rents established through the Rent Controls Act. This was successful as it meant that everyone was entitled to a greater opportunity to own a good quality home for them and their family, and owning this was economically achievable through the low rent that was attached.However, critics may argue that houses were built on too high a specification and concentrated on quality rather than quantity. However, this viewpoint can be argued to be classed as over critical as in the long term these houses were of high quality and lasted longer which generally, is of better value for the government. Another limitation that could be considered is that possibly more houses could have been built if more responsibility had been given to the private sector.However true this claim may be, it cannot be denied that many houses were in fact built without the help of the private sector – between 1945 – 51, Labour built 1 million houses which helped gre atly in dealing with the housing crisis, again a major success. It is obvious that the Labour government were successful in focussing on building homes for the working class as 4 out of 5 homes built were council houses, therefore it contradicts the arguments that more houses should have been built as in itself this is a great achievement to accomplish housing on this scale.However, on the other hand there was still a considerate housing shortage in 1951 as well as long waiting lists for council houses. In addition, the 1951 census revealed that there were still 750,000 fewer houses than there were households in Britain. This was roughly the same level of homelessness as in 1951, clearly there was still room for improvement. Futhermore, historian Timmons argues that â€Å"traditionally, housing has been branded the welfare state failure of Bevan and the 1945 Labour Government†.Despite this, overall it becomes obvious to see that the new council estates still vastly improved t he state of crowded tenements and that millions of people were affected positively, even though these houses were still in a considerate demand many families housing conditions were improved. Although the record was not overwhelming it can be argued that Labour came close to its goal of 1945 in terms of the objectives of housing: quality and affordable working class homes Therefore, it can be concluded that reforms on housing can be deemed as successful as it paved the way for better housing reforms in the future.The last giant tackled was â€Å"Idleness† that promised jobs for all. There was a desperate need to avoid an economic slump after the war and the fear of unemployment levels returning to those of the 1930s pushed the government to take action. This was done by encouraging â€Å"full employment† and was generally done so by careful planning. Local authority spending was encouraged in helping people to find jobs and the government also had success in controllin g inflation with price controls and continuing rationing.This was all seen as successful as it helped thousands of families earn themselves an adequate living through receiving employment that was capable of lifting them out of poverty. Another argument that illustrates its success is that many historians such as Brooke claim that â€Å"This was Labour’s single most important domestic achievement† which shows just how highly he regards its success. In addition, this reform was successful at dramatically reducing unemployment.Bevan has previously said it was not possible to reduce unemployment below 3% yet this was achieved by Labour in 1946, which can be argued that this directly correlates to the success of this Labour reform. Another point that demonstrates its success is that Britain’s growth rates were better than America’s as a result, however it can be also argued that this was only because of the war there was a huge increase in the demand for Brit ish goods so Labour cannot take credit. There still remains an argument that whichever government was in power there would have been full employment, that it was a factor outwith government control.It can be argued that this is mainly due to the fact that world demand meaning that Britain could sell its exports. This was also accelerated by the fact that all countries needed to restock due to the damage of the war, therefore suggesting that the government did not have to create jobs itself. On the other hand, so much improvement in unemployment was achieved during this time that it seems only natural to credit Labour’s work as it was their action that ultimately was fulfilled.This was made even more impressive by a climate of crisis and diminished resources, a true success for the Labour government. Furthermore, economic historians tend to conclude that it was difficult to see how Labour’s performance could be improved upon. Thus, it can be concluded that Labourâ€℠¢s efforts to provide jobs for all was very successful. Overall, it seems obvious to conclude that the Labour Welfare reforms all had some sort of positive impact on Britain during 1945 – 51.However, it is important to consider that each reform varied in success and ultimately, some were more successful than others. The reforms dealing with poverty dramatically decreased the numbers of those living in poverty and helped families to claim benefits that were desperately needed; and thus may be deemed as a success if you consider the sheer amount of families that were helped. The NHS helped reduce the numbers of those who were sick yet at a great expense and so can be argued as less successful but still a great achievement for the Welfare state.It can also be argued that reforms tackling â€Å"Ignorance† were not as successful either with the controversial 11-plus exam yet the quality of education was still improved and the school leaving age was raised so it would be unf air to argue that it did not bring in some positive elements to the education system. Similarly, the issue of housing was addressed quite successfully with the problem of homelessness being tackled by the mass expansion of council housing estates. The success of reducing unemployment was noticeable also with the lowest figures of unemployment Britain had ever experienced.Therefore, it can be seen that the Labour Welfare reforms were mostly of great success with the exception of the need of a fairer education system. However, it can be clear to see that all the successes that each reform brought definitely affected millions of the British public in terms of improving health, housing, education, employment and general standard of living. Overall, despite all the problems that Britain faced after the war, Labour completed the Welfare State and successfully managed full employment, thus proving that their reforms were of great success in solving Britain’s social problems between 1945 – 51.

Drugs, Sports, Body Image and G.I. Joe Essay

The thesis is â€Å"some researchers worry that Joe and other action-hero figures may, in minor fashion, help fan the use of muscle-building drugs among young athletes.† (486) Angier wants to convey to the audience that dolls can affect whether he or she will use muscle-building drugs to grow big like the G.I. Joe dolls. Dolls like Barbie, G.I. Joe helps to send a message to the kids that being strong or being thin like the dolls are what they should look like as adults. A) Angier’s tone throughout the essay is informative to prove her point that dolls help kids the use of muscle-building drugs. She tells the audience how outrageous the doll’s body’s proportions are. She states that G.I, Joe’s â€Å"biceps bulge so much that they are larger around than his waist . . . human size, they would be larger than even the arms of the grotesquely muscular Mr. Olympias of today† (486). She wants to inform the audience that dolls that kids plays with are abnormal. The fact that kids plays with these kinds of dolls can have an effect on boys and girls. Angier also conveys that because kids want the type of bodies the dolls have, they will do things in order to achieve that goal. One of the ways is to use anabolic steroids which can make â€Å"it possible for men to look as big as superman† (487). Showing what problems steroids can cause will inform people that people should not be taking steroids to achieve the muscular body. The fact that Angier uses specific people who are certified to know about drugs and the influence of toys like Dr. Harrison G. Pope Jr., and Shalender Bhasin with increases her credibility. Readers will likely trust what Angier says because she supports her evidence with people who knows about steroids well. Barbies, G.I. Joe, and other American dolls can have an effect on kids about their appearance but I do not think that it is a huge factor that makes kids think that big muscles and thin bodies are the norm. It can leave a message to the kids that muscles and thin bodies are the best but I think normally to attract the others, people want to have big muscles and thin bodies. Also the fact that society wants to make people think that thin bodies and having a nice body is the best.

12-Years a Slave Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

12-Years a Slave - Assignment Example He seems to be thinking hard about his present situation. The lighting of this particular picture is dull and unclear with the contrast being low. The colorization also, black and white, portrays a man who is sad, devastated and stressed because of his present situation. In the second birds-eye-view shot, a flashback, Northup appears to be contented with his state of being. He seems satisfied sharing bed with his wife and appears to be â€Å"at home." The picture colorization is bright and presents a situation where Northup is optimistic about the future. The difference in picture colorization presents different emotions and situations. The black and white picture color portrays a dull, unhappy mood while the colored picture presents a happy mood. In the first birds-eye-shot, Northup’s mood is depressed. Obviously, in his state as a slave, he is feeling lonely because his family is not with him. With his apparent state of being locked up and beaten, he also seems heart broken. In the second birds-eye-shot, Northup being with his family, the mood the pictures presents are warm. He is not only harmonious with his being but also calm and warm having his family around him. In the same setting, in the bed, Northup is even planning of the future with his wife. The shots and camera movements used in 12 years a slave are a variety. Sean Bobbitt the man behind the camera positioning of the film says most shots were taken when camera was handheld especially for the extended shots. With the handheld technique, Bobbitt explains that most people overuse the technique and at times do not bring out the intended results or does not tell the story effectively. A single camera was used in the shooting of 12 years a slave scenes. This is because, a single camera is more effective as it takes the whole idea unlike many cameras that will consume time during editing and make work difficult at the same time likely to compromise some information. Single camera

Refrace week2-1rem9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Refrace week2-1rem9 - Essay Example The practice of ethics will also depends on which of Badaracco’s (1992) four spheres of ethics has prominence. If top management and the stakeholders/shareholders are our priority then decisions taken may be misunderstood by workers in a company, who feel that they deserve some consideration too. Mistrust and dislike creeps in. This in turn has a negative impact upon motivation and performance on the shop floor. Cunliffe (2004) states that managers need to learn how to practice ethics and morality, and when necessary make required changes in both their attitudes and practices. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) was discussed and linked with the goal of both retaining employees and increasing motivation and engagement. According to various studies (Ali and Ali, 2011; Gross and Holland, 2011; Brammer, Millington and Rayton, 2007) it seems that workers prefer to be employed by a company which is socially committed. Socially commitment is also perceived positively by the wider community (Tang, 2007; Mohr, Webb and Harris, 2001; Moir, 2001). Kenexa (2010) having studied and considered the situation in six different countries, showed strong evidence of links between corporate social responsibility and higher levels of employee engagement. At present our organization is in the early stages of CSR, which means that as yet there is only a limited level of employee participation. The process of making the employees understand the ways in which they will benefit from CSR, and how is going to benefit them their levels of motivation levels will be increased. As the level of our CSR increases so their participation levels should also increase. At the same time it is also necessary that the employees feel that the ethical decisions being made will benefit them within the organization. Ali and Ali (2011) reveal that the importance of organizations having policies of ethical activity towards their employees

Organisational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example A person would strive to study the environment and recognize his/her position in the organization thereby playing his role precisely and independently. The perceptual nature of individuals enables them to learn and appreciate other people in the workplace (French, 2011). One becomes conversant with his or her area of jurisdiction. The familiarity with the working environment would facilitate the work with no work clash at all. An individual may acquire knowledge and embrace innovativeness at the workplace because every person is accountable for his job. Working alone in an organization, however, encounters diverse setbacks ranging from limited sources ideas; lack of consultation, boredom some. The absenteeism and health issue on an individual may hinder the smooth operation of the organization. In conclusion, people are more creative when they work alone at their respective workplaces because of the personal accountability. Self-actualization and perception make a person perform better at the workplace. It, therefore, is arguable that individuals’ productivity is high when they are alone. The statement is justified by the argument presented in the