Latino Culture Lives At Sofrito For Your Soul

Remembering Three Kings Day!

Saludos...

Just a few days into the new year, and I am already starting to read more than I write... something I really want to get away from. So even a little bit under the weather, I have decided to write a little something today.

So as some of you may already know, this Friday is Three Kings Day and I am happy to report that NYC, the capital of the world still holds this holiday near and dear with several celebrations throughout the city. I personally discovered 3 Kings Day or (Dia De Los Reyes Magos) in Puerto Rico circa 1981 and believe it or not, celebrating Christmas had little to do with Santa Claus (and I lived in the Area Metropolitana where many people had close ties to NYC, Chicagoi and Florida). 

So as the story goes, The Three Kings are on their way to visit baby Jesus in Jeruselem, and the Camels needed us to help feed them as they made their way. So every January 5th, I would go out to our beautiful backyard with my baby cousin Mariel and we would cut the greenest grass, wash it off and put it in shoeboxes  with Turron (for the Kings to snack on) and as a bonus we would each put some Poma Rosa from our backyard which were in season so they would give us extra gifts.

So I was very lucky to be one of few kids in my neighborhood to celebrate Christmas twice. One difference about my Reyes gift is that it was always a gift that required more though and sentiment. Reyes for me anyway was not about getting the latest video game (Atari or ColecoVision)... it was about getting gifts that were going to make life more enjoyable for me. I remember getting a lot of books... and sometimes my dad would even say that the Reyes left me extra stuff in his shoebox because I was a good son... (and he still smoked cigarettes, and he did not deserve anything).

One thing that makes me a little sad around Three Kings Day, is seeing less people celebrate it. When I returned to NYC in 1985... that would have been the last time I ever celebrated it. Like many parents... I also failed at passing the tradition on to my children. Things like this is what made me start this site, so that I can encourage those with young children to bring back these traditions that have such a deep connection to our cultural heritage.

So in the spirit of that sentiment... I will post a video of my favorite aguinaldo, Mi Burrito Sabanero which is the equivalent of Santa Is Coming To Town for the Dia De Reyes. I am also providing links on local Three King Celebrations so that you can take that first step and make it happen for the generations to come.

Feel free to share your 3 King Stories with us...

 As I am, 

George Torres
The Urban Jibaro

 

How do you celebrate 3 Kings day... let us know in the comments section below.

Email your submissions at SofritoSubmissions@gmail.com 

or Connect with us @:  Facebook  Twitter  LinkedIn  YouTube  Google Plus

 

 

Here is a link to the history of Three Kings Day - Click here

Here are links to the NYC Celebrations of Three Kings Day - Click here

 

 

 

The artwork featured above is from Olga Ayala, talented artist and great friend, you can view and buy her art at http://www.etsy.com/shop/olgaayala 

 

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Last Call: Register For Our Free Webinar “Mentors and Sponsors: Key Distinctions for Career Growth”

Tonight!

Tuesday, December 06, 2011
9:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Eastern Time)

This webinar is hosted by Mariela Dabbah from Latinos In College in association with Sofrito Media Group.

Cost - $0 - Gratis - Nada... yes... we said F.R.E.E but you do have to register to attend.

We will be discussing the following topics;

• Differences between mentors and sponsors
• Identifying mentors who are a good match for your need
• Best ways to find and approach mentors and sponsors
• Managing these valuable relationships and much more. 

 

REGISTER NOW!

 

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On The Topic Of Latinos And Mentorship...

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. when you become a Leader, success is all about growing others.” – Jack Welch.

In April, I shared a story about someone who cared enough to tell me when I was not living up to my brand promise. It was thru that conversation that I was able to build a relationship with Mariela Dabbah from Latinos In College. Indirectly... she took the role of mentoring me in that situation in which I needed guidance. Since then... we have had some invigorating conversations about impacting the educational landscape for Latinos in America.

Earlier today, we announced on twitter that we will be collaborating on a webinar to help students and young professionals tap into the power of mentorship. This webinar is free and sponsored by Latinos In College in association with Sofrito Media Group. Now this is a hot topic and space is limited... so do yourself a favor... register today and help us spread the word to some young people that can benefit from this webinar.

Here are all the details...

Topic: Mentors and Sponsors: Key Distinctions for Career Growth  Speaker: Mariela Dabbah  Date: Tuesday, December 06, 2011  Time: 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Eastern Time)

 

Cost - $0 - Gratis - Nada... yes... we said F.R.E.E but you do have to register to attend. 

We will be discussing the following topics:
 
•Differences between mentors and sponsors
 
•Identifying mentors who are a good match for your needs
 
•Best ways to find and approach mentors and sponsors
 
•Managing these valuable relationships and much more. 

 

REGISTER NOW!

About Latinos In College

www.latinosincollege.com is the only all-encompassing resource for assisting Latino students and their families in choosing schools, finding funding, and succeeding in college.

Created by Mariela Dabbah, award-winning author, spokesperson and expert on education and career issues, in February 2009, the website was re-designed and re-launched in October of 2010. 

About Sofrito Media Group

Founded in 1997, Sofrito Media Group is  a multi-media company currently located in Freeport, NY that manages and produces branded projects that appeal to the Latino / Hispanic segment. These projects include web properties, live events, social media campaigns, internet radio production, content development and consulting services.

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Sofrito 4 Kids: Learning Social Responsibility For Teens!

The following tips were a part of a white paper hand out that we gave to teens at the 13th Annual Muevete Conference that was held in Betances Community Center in the Bronx on November 12th, 2011 after a conversation.

This was a summary of sorts of a discussion we had called TechKnowledgy: Learning Social Responsibility that was facilitated by Jeff Namnum and your favorite Jibarito.

 

Please share these with other parents, educators and other community leaders.

As I am,

George Torres

The Urban Jibaro

 

Quick Tips On Using Social Media Responsibly For Teens

These tips will help you enjoy the benefits of social media and avoid some of the bad things that can happen online like getting stalked, bullied, having your identity stolen, your computer hacked or causing irreparable harm to your reputation.

• First things first…LIVE LIFE! Social connections are cool, but real relationships matter most.  Take time to participate in activities outside the social media realm.  There is such a beautiful world out there - enjoy it and everything in it.

 

• Protect your information:  When using social media, protect information like location, the school you attend, etc.  Use the privacy features to keep outsiders out!

 

• Think before you post: Do not post anything you would not want to explain to your parents, teachers or law enforcement.  Remember that once you post something online, you cannot take it back, it is forever.  Employers and college recruiters often “Google” you to see what kind of person you are.  Would you really want to be judged on something that may be taken out of context?

 

• Treat others like you would want to be treated: Gossiping, impersonating, harassing, stalking, saying hurtful things, revealing secrets and threatening online is Cyber Bullying.  These actions have real world consequences and are illegal.  You cannot really hide your identity online when breaking the law.

 

• Do not trust your “best friend”:  You tell your mobile device more than you would any friend you have.  Protect yourself by not saying or sending anything via text or social media that you would not want the world to know.  Your reputation can be ruined in 140 characters or less if you were to lose your device.

 

• Use Social Media to highlight the best of YOU: LinkedIn is a great website that you can use to start documenting your educational background, work history, and aspirations.  You can connect with professionals you know to start networking with people that can potentially become mentors.  This could be a great head start to accomplishing your career goals. 

For more resources on online safety and ways to use the social web positively,

email us at Tecknowledgy@SofritoMediaGroup.com and join our mailing list!

 

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