Enero | January 2012

Silence Doesn’t Count
by | Kent D. FletcherFall Fellow - Organizing for America, Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton Counties

The most basic right we have as citizens of the United States of America is our ability to voice our concerns regarding our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Voting represents that most basic right. Regrettably, the majority of our citizens do not actively participate in the political conversation, let alone take the time to go to the ballot box neither before nor on Election Day. Sadly, most do not believe their vote counts. Even worse are the statistics. Of the 68,217 votes cast in Beaufort County during the 2008 Presidential General Election, there was only a 7,425 vote difference. The numbers are sad, because more than 90,000 citizens of Beaufort County were registered to vote; meaning 21,197 choose not to vote at all, with 653 voting for candidates outside the two main parties. In Charleston, of the more than 200,000 voters, only 156,254 went out and voted; a difference of 46,000 potentially lost votes.
President Obama won Charleston County by roughly 13,000, but lost South Carolina by just over 172,000. What sort of influence could you have on the next outcome? Imagine the difference if one-half of the absent citizens had voted. A total of 41,500 voters were missing from Beaufort and Charleston Counties alone, in 2008. What if the others who remained silent across the state had exercised their right to vote? 43% of Jasper County registered voters are aged 18-35, yet only 15% voted during the last election. In this age of information there are more ways to be informed than ever before and less excuses for apathy and indifference. People from all cultures have access to a world of information in a variety of languages.
I encourage everyone who can vote to register, express your voice, educate yourself, your family, and your friends on the political issues that are most important to you and what each candidate for office represents. Parents, think about the legacy you intend for your children. The American dream is based on passing on an inheritance, including an equal voice in policies that influence our daily lives. That voice is founded in our vote. Make an effort to guide your children, those 18 – 35, the next generation of leaders, to continue the legacy that so many Americans have fought for and enjoyed since our founding fathers first began.
From the first immigrants to the most recent, from those of us born here, to those of us who have fought for our place here, this legacy is ours to maintain and carry forward with our right and responsibility to vote. This is the way we move our community forward together based on issues that are most important to all of us. What is important to you? What will you have to say in 2012? What legacy will you leave for the next generation of Americans?

The Brutal Business of Drugs
by | Woody Stevens
Two years ago 35 Mexican mayors, prosecutors, police chiefs and other municipal workers were arrested for taking bribes from drug cartels. Constantly battling violent drug organizations and corruption, these arrests in Mexico appeared to be proof of success rooting out corrupt officials. However, as of last year almost all the cases have been dismissed. Only one suspect remained in custody, while the rest were released as judges ruled the evidence was too weak. Corruption is a major issue in Mexico which adversely affects its ability to protect its citizens. One does not need to look hard to find daily, sometimes hourly accounts of unspeakable brutality and violence being carried out in the streets and neighborhoods of far too many Mexican cities and towns.
More recently Mexican President Felipe Calderon has proposed measures to eliminate Mexico’s 2,000 municipal level police departments. Rather than trust policing to local police officers, Calderon wants to replace them with federal or state level troops. Most local level Mexican police officers are both underpaid and poorly trained making them easy targets for corruption. Instead Calderon hopes to increase the number of federal officers trained at a new state of the art police academy, drawing many instructors from the US across the border.
Cartel violence is not only a
 Mexican problem
While corruption remains an obstacle in ending Mexico’s current drug war, it is only part of the problem caused by Mexico’s drug cartels. Many Americans see the warring between Mexican drug cartels as a Mexican problem but in reality, the reach and scope within our borders is far worse. Recently, a group of former cartel members was arrested after having killed a dozen people, and having kidnapped at least 20 more. Authorities did not find this group crossing the border, nor were they arrested in Texas or California. US law enforcement officers tracked this violent group to Kansas City, Missouri, far from the epicenter of the drug war. Another incident drew an entire brigade of fully armed police officers to a residential neighborhood outside of Atlanta, GA where they arrested three suspects connected to a prominent Mexican cartel. Upon searching the house they found a man from the Dominican Republic who had been chained and tortured for nearly a week inside the home. Cartel activity with its violent trademark has been detected in every single state in the US except for Vermont and West Virginia.
Bad customers,
bad business The irony behind the statistics, corruption, violence, loss of life and wasted resources, is the fact that it’s all driven by those in the US looking to get high. The United States is the largest consumer of illegal drugs in the world. These economics, the basics of supply and demand, are not difficult to understand.
More needs to be done to control the demand for drugs. The average pot smoker who does not use cocaine or heroin may believe that he or she is not a huge part of the problem, but that is simply not true. In the past, marijuana smuggled across the Mexican border has been of inferior grade, and considered less desirable by the casual pot smoker. More recently drug cartels have been entering the business of hydroponic marijuana. Grown in a controlled environment, and given as much care as award winning roses. Hydroponics can sell for up to $6,000 a pound compared to $750 a pound for lesser grade marijuana. Now, college kids with excess cash are buying top of the line marijuana, while supporting murder in Mexico.
The drug war in Mexico is nothing new, nor is a lack of adequate awareness on this side of the border. Violence continues to push further into the US and now government resources in both countries are forced to fight crime rather than direct financial resources toward proactive programs and solutions that can truly better both nations. There is no such thing as “harmless” or “recreational” illegal drug use. One cannot help but wonder just how much more violence it will take to move the conscience of a nation that is the primary bloodline fueling the stunning horrors resulting from cartels competing for the privilege of supplying the American appetite for drugs.

Federal judge blocks anti-immigrant bill asides South Carolina.
(EFE) The federal district judge in Charleston, Richard Gergel, blocked the most controversial parts of the state law of South Carolina Immigration SB 20, which was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2012.
Gergel annulled the articles that allowed local and state law enforcement to ask for immigration documentation from those suspected of being undocumented. He also dismissed portions of the law concerning the obligation of people in South Carolina to carry immigration documents and also the portion that made it a crime for anyone to transport undocumented immigrants.

"This is a triumph for the immigrant community," said Ivan Segura, the Mexican Council of the Carolinas, which has fought to prevent the implementation of SB20. " The message we must send to the community is to be calm and do not feel more anxiety," said Segura. Gergel's verdict is contained in a document of more than 40 pages, which was revealed after a hearing on Monday, December 19, in which arguments from lawyers for the governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, and those of the Federal Government, American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights group were heard.
On Sunday December 18 faith groups and community leaders along civil rights groups organized marches, rallies and vigils in major cities in South Carolina. Activists and clergy carried out acts of opposition to SB 20 in Greenville, Hilton Head, Charleston and Columbia, the state capital.
Governor Nikki Haley signed SB 20, after its approval in both legislative chambers in South Carolina, on June 27, making it one of the toughest anti-immigrant laws in the country. SB 20 contains concepts similar to state law SB 1070 Arizona and HB 56 Alabama, which have had devastating effects on the immigrant population and economy of those states. Last week, the Supreme Court in Washington, announced that it will hear the parties to issue a ruling on Arizona's SB 1070. A special feature of SB 20 is that it includes the creation of an Immigration Compliance Unit, composed of 12 state police officers charged with arresting illegal immigrants.
The articles of the SB 20 carry a penalty of five years in prison and a $25,000 fine to those who produce fraudulent documents. Previously, in 2008, South Carolina passed a state law that explicitly forbade admission of undocumented students at community colleges and public universities. It is estimated that of the 335 thousand Hispanics living in South Carolina, at least 45 thousand are undocumented.

How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions
By Levi Sullivan, Personal Trainer
Losing weight ranks among the most common New Year’s Resolution but inevitably, January arrives, full of hope and a sense of commitment and then, it often falls apart. Why is it so hard to stay the course?
It can be overwhelming: the thought of losing weight, eating healthy and exercising. When you walk into a gym, somewhere you’ve never been before—the new environment can be uncomfortable and intimidating. Disaster scenarios circle in your head, “Everyone will be looking at me, and I won’t know what I’m doing…surely I will make a fool out of myself.” Those feelings alone are often enough to keep you from walking into the gym at all. The thoughts of what your family will say if you change the way you eat can keep you from eating healthy. We often fail to do things not because of the reality of the situation, but because of the thoughts and feelings that irrationally affect our thinking and ultimately our actions or lack thereof. Imagined ridicule and fear of change often keep us from creating a better life for ourselves and ultimately, those around us. Change is scary. But there is a simple solution.
Every journey begins with one step. That is it. One step today—that is all. Take one step every day, and before you know it, you are on your way, moving toward your destination. And one day, you simply arrive at your destination—wherever that is. Whatever goals you have, whatever resolutions you make, you have to start with a single step. That is all.
Decide that 3 days a week, you will take a short walk, and eat one healthy meal. When that becomes easy, join a gym and start going to an aerobics class once a week. Then start going to the gym three days a week and eating two healthy meals a day. The point is: start somewhere. No one ever starts at their destination but it’s a sure bet that you’ll never reach it if you don’t take that first step—it is a journey that has to begin somewhere. Do this until it is habit, and you will be amazed by the results.

Breaking the silence
Dhayam Olivera
A year after the tragic death of her husband and father of her four children, Dhayam Olivera, wife of the late Carlos Olivera who was gunned down by a tow truck driver on Christmas Eve of 2010, is a living example of someone who draws strength from weakness. Left alone, she not only had to face the heartbreaking death of her husband, but also the responsibility to continue fighting for her children, home, and her husband’s concrete business. Moreover, she has also had to struggle with anger and the inconsistency of a justice system which “still has not done justice" in this case.
What frustrates Dhayam the most is, that after almost a year "they have not yet put the cards on the table and this criminal case has been treated with neglect by the county justice system." The case remains in the dark, unresolved and without what Dhayam considers due justice. To Dhayam, it is clear that "racism is big in the Lowcountry.” She goes on to say, “There is a rejection, perhaps hatred to the Hispanic community by non-Hispanic groups in general, those who equate being an immigrant with ignorance, inferiority and illegality. Immigrants are treated as though they were parasites, a nuisance. But really, how many who are really native to this country are considering that all of us are of mixed descent? Everyone should understand that in this country there are a considerable number of immigrants with legal status who are law abiding, useful members of society with a voice.” Carlos, her husband knew the laws of this country because he studied them. Her husband had taken the training course "Citizen's Police Academy" and to that end, he was an example and model of a law abiding member of the community.
The various forms of anti-immigrant policies and regulations issued in Beaufort County & SC in recent years have created a tone of contempt in society. Dhayam believes that there are many good hearted Americans, but there are also people who do not have the correct concept of coexistence. “This society needs to be more humane and respect basic human rights. Life is the most sacred right. "
In reference to SB20, the anti-
immigrant legislation set to take effect in January, Dhayam believes the law will intensify hatred toward Hispanics. "This law will increase abuse and escalate racism." But she asks the Hispanic community to remain calm, do not rush to leave the country or to take action without advice seek
help advance.
"Don’t run and just lose everything.” She encourages people to think about how all of this can affect their families, and especially children, who are the most vulnerable by simply not knowing what will be their fate and that of their parents. “Although we may not think they hear us or understand what’s going on but, children hear and understand everything, and they worry too."
Dhayam states: "All of the help I have received has inspired me to help others. Listening to other women I tell them that
they are not alone and do not be afraid, and do not
remain silent. Seek help and solutions; people will listen. I want to tell both women and men who are raising their children alone, and heads of households to defend themselves against any kind of abuse, regardless of their legal status. Do not allow others to victimize you with fear or threats. Speak up! If we do not talk, we allow abuse and crime to happen and our silence gives more power to the perpetrators."
Dhayam is an example of motivation, strength and courage which has been fortified by her personal circumstances and experiences. "I always say, I can. Everyone can! I always try to do right by everything I touch. Blessed be God that I have been able to move forward. If we have the will, we can do it.”

The Brutal Reality in México
 by: Marcela Álvarez

Tomás Borges has written a poignant book to help us understand the struggle between drug traffickers and the government of Felipe Calderón in México. El arte de la guerra para narcos (Grupo Planeta) is a rigorous report of the clashes between these two forces since December 11, 2006 when Calderón launched Operation Michoacán, also known as the "war against drug trafficking". According to Borges, México contributes with the dead and the United States with the consumers.
What is the main objective of the book?
On the heels of the success of my first book, Machiavelo for narcos, I saw the need to write a second book considering that, in the so-called war against drug trafficking the current administration [Felipe Calderón’s] uses aggressive language. The president even wore military fatigues. In every war there are casualties and we are already surpassing 30,000 victims during his administration, thus I saw the need to write another book based on the classic text “El arte de la guerra” written by the great master Sun Tzu. So, it will be up to the reader to draw his/her own conclusions.

You say that the Mexican army is not trained well enough to fight organized crime. Who or what could help Mexico?
We need to come up with crime prevention campaigns and we need to generate jobs. Let’s keep in mind that many of the hired hit men are young people who neither study nor work and hence organized crime has increased its ranks through this pool of young blood. We also need an efficient police organization that relies more on prevention and intelligence and not on brute force.

What has been Calderón’s biggest mistake?
First, before facing the huge monster that is drug trafficking, I think he should have done an operation scar in the country. Calderón should have not left open any wounds that stemmed as a result of one of the closest elections in the history of contemporary México [the 2006 presidential election]. There were dirty war campaigns between Calderón and Andrés López Obrador. Mexican society was left deeply divided.
You say that to avoid a major problem, a good option is to negotiate.
Do you think Calderón failed as a negotiator?
Of course, he has not been able to negotiate accordingly. I am not surmising that the President sits down to talk to these criminals, that would be politically incorrect, but within the police and security forces he should have people and links to communicate with the narcos.
Sobre el autor
Tomás Borges nació en La Paz, Baja California Sur, y es egresado de la Academia de la Policía Federal Preventiva, donde alcanzó el grado de oficial. Ha trabajado como agente en áreas de inteligencia e investigaciones a organizaciones de tipo criminal, lo que le permitió obtener conocimiento de primera mano sobre el narco y sus entrañas, colaborando también con varias agencias de inteligencia en operaciones conjuntas en áreas de análisis táctico y operativo.
About the author
Tomás Borges was born in La Paz, Baja California. He is a graduate of the Academy of the Federal Preventive Police where he attained the rank of officer. He has worked as an agent in areas of intelligence and research on criminal organizations. This has allowed him to gain first-hand knowledge of the drug cartels. He has also worked with several intelligence agencies in joint operations in areas of tactical and operational analysis.

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About the author
Tomás Borges was born in La Paz, Baja California. He is a graduate of the Academy of the Federal Preventive Police where he attained the rank of officer. He has worked as an agent in areas of intelligence and research on criminal organizations. This has allowed him to gain first-hand knowledge of the drug cartels. He has also worked with several intelligence agencies in joint operations in areas of tactical and operational analysis.

My College
Success Story | by Maria Del Mar Tovar
Josselyn Campos' parents arrived in 1989 from El Salvador. She was born in Washington D.C. and although she is American by birth, she considers herself Latina and is very proud of her heritage. Her parents were seeking to escape the poverty and violence in their country. Josselyn attended Hilton Head Island High School where she set firm goals for herself: “I was determined to do well in school, take honor classes and AP courses that would greatly help me in college.” Josselyn joined a non-profit educational program in high school called Strive to Excel, where she learned social skills and got help with college applications and scholarships. Josselyn also performed community service. “I love volunteer work because it gives me such a rewarding feeling." In preparing for college she took an SAT prep course, made a resume, went on campus tours, got involved in her community and applied for early admission. Josselyn hopes to be a role model to her younger sisters and make her parents proud of her achievements. When choosing a major, she considered her particular interests and decided to pursue a tourism management major. Wishing to stay close to home and family, she attends the University of South Carolina, Beaufort.
Josselyn learned that money was an obstacle she would have to overcome. She received a scholarship from Strive to Excel her senior year which helped cover tuition costs her freshman year. To help finance her next three years in college she applied for financial aid. Thankfully her GPA qualified her for the South Carolina Life Scholarship which she works hard to maintain. Now a junior in college she shares what she knows now and wishes she had known before.
 “Apply to colleges early, prepare your resume and practice your essay writing skills for scholarships because there are many grants and scholarships available for Latino students.” Josselyn also shared her advice for aspiring Latino students, “Don’t miss out on a college education, it will open doors for you and help you make a difference. We need leaders that are willing to fight for change.” Josselyn also hopes to one day create a foundation that provides scholarships to Hispanics.
Two of the major obstacles faced by thousands of students and young Latinos are the lack of legal documents and/or access to sufficient funds, making it impossible in many states for students who have been raised and educated here their whole lives to attain a college education or receive much needed financial aid. Education is everyone’s business; for that reason it is imperative to propose laws such as the Dream Act, which would help nearly 800,000 young Latinos reach their dreams and potential.
The Dream Act is a bipartisan initiative that will allow thousands of undocumented students, brought to the U.S. by their parents as minors, to adjust their status through certain prerequisites. Not only will thousands of individuals benefit from opportunities like this, but also their families and in the long run the entire country, as it will profit and grow with individuals that are more educated and financially successful.
It is critically important to not give up and continue on with strong perseverance, always keeping in mind the importance of achieving the highest education possible not only for self-improvement, but also to encourage and help the next generation of Latinos.
"Never give up on your dreams and always keep your spirit of success alive!"

Angels Among Us
por | by Kimberly Piston

If you don’t believe there are guardian angels walking among us, have a conversation with Reverend Rich Robinson, pastor of Epworth United Methodist Church on James Island and co-founder of, the non profit, Nuevos Caminos and you may find yourself reconsidering. Rich entered the ministry in 2003 after a solid career in law enforcement. A few years later he and his wife Jo Dee, American born daughter of Cuban immigrants, began working as volunteers with the Hispanic community around Charleston.
Rich and Jo Dee saw a real need in their encounters with the working poor, particularly with Hispanic migrant farm workers and their families. “People wanted help, but they didn’t know how to get it. They either didn’t know how to go about it or were simply too courteous to ask.” The couple often saw people living in settings which he described as deplorable. Entire families were living in trailers without power or water. There was a lack of food in some cases and, in general, what Rich called “third world conditions”. When the Department of Social Services would get involved, they would often require people to attend parenting classes which were offered in English and were too expensive. These barriers often resulted in children being taken away from their families for no real reason other than a lack of resources and cultural understanding on both sides. Jo Dee became “Triple-P” certified and began taking on referrals and conducting classes at no cost. Out of this came the formation in 2009 of Nuevos Caminos, a non-profit dedicated to education, outreach and advocacy for Hispanic families and individuals in the Charleston area.
Aside from the parenting classes, Rich asserts that Nuevos Caminos simply puts people together with appropriate resources which are, more often than not, just other people. “Some people saw us as sort of the Hispanic United Way but that is not what we are. We are not caseworkers. We bring people together to help one another.”
This concept is the heart of what

Nuevos Caminos is all about. Rich and Jo Dee understand the necessity of systems and agencies, but believe that they often create distance between people. In his career as a police officer Rich was all too familiar with the system of “band aids”. “I would finish calls and feel like there was so much more work to be done. Law enforcement only treats the symptoms. My calling was to get deeper into the issues and closer to dealing with the root cause.” Nuevos Caminos has become a network of people helping people at a grass roots level. Rich recounted several stories of families who had received badly needed assistance and then went on to help others as a way to show gratitude. It is this “pay it forward” effect that is the driving force behind this organization. Nuevos Caminos, loyal to its namesake, truly creates new paths and new ways for people in need. “When people deal with each other on a human level, this is where they find love, and love transcends all.”
In the current anti-immigrant climate, particularly in the state of South Carolina, we asked Rich Robinson for his message to the Latino and non-Latino communities regarding the impending implementation of SB20, one of the harshest immigration laws to date in this country. Here’s what he had to say: “To the Hispanic community I want to say that South Carolinians are essentially good people. If they really understood the real impact that this law is going to have I believe they would not support it. But humanity is greater than any law. Please be patient with us while we work through our issues and figure out how to love our neighbors.
And to the rest: “There is no “us and them”. We are all in this together, with our Hispanic brothers and sisters. We may look and speak differently but we are all human. If business knows no national boundaries now, why can’t humanity be globalized in the same manner? This is about tearing down the walls in our hearts.” n

The Use of Discretion is Not Discretionary
por | by K. CRAIG DOBSON,
Dobson Immigration Law & Policy, L LC
A few days ago, an Illinois Congressman
sought to prove that the use of discretion under President Obama’s new policy (announced August 18, 2011) is not discretionary. Congressman Luis Gutierrez, a leader in the fight for immigrant rights, assisted local immigrant Gabino Sanchez with obtaining prosecutorial discretion under the new policy. However, not everyone eligible for favorable discretion will have a congressman to personally help them with this process. The purpose of this very brief article is to help you help yourself if you are facing possible deportation. (Keep in mind that even if you are granted favorable discretion under this policy, it is not a grant of immigration status. Rather, it is a kind of “immigration limbo,” which allows you to temporarily avoid deportation [and sometimes get a work authorization card].) Furthermore, you should understand what discretion means in this instance: DHS officials must apply their own personal judgment to the criteria in the June 17th “Morton Memo.” This means that two people might disagree over what meets the standard, but the official must use sound judgment to avoid the abuse of discretion. When a standard is discretionary, it is most important to prove your case with lots of evidence.
Knowledge is power. Read the June 17th memo for yourself (a copy will be available at www.laislamagazine.com). If you cannot read English, have a friend or English teacher read it to you in your native language. The memo lists a number of factors that officials must consider when deciding whether to grant favorable discretion on a case. Study them carefully. For example, a couple of the factors are “the person’s length of presence in the United States, with particular consideration given to presence while in lawful status” and “the circumstances of the person’s arrival in the United States and the manner of his or her entry, particularly if the alien came to the United States as a child.” Now is the time to begin collecting such evidence. If you attended preschool and kindergarten in California, go ahead and request your records. If you visited a doctor 10 years ago, get proof that you were in that office. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that such records will be destroyed or will otherwise become unavailable. Do not assume that doctors, lawyers, and other professionals will keep your records forever. It is probably a good idea to store photocopies of such evidence in a separate place from the originals in case of fire or theft.
If you are an undocumented immigrant in this country, it is now more important than ever to consult with a qualified immigration lawyer. He or she cannot decide for you whether you should remain in the United States or not, but they can explain the risks/benefits of various pathways. If you find yourself facing deportation proceedings, hire the best immigration lawyer you can to defend you. If your lawyer asks for evidence that your case warrants favorable discretion under the new policy, then you will be glad you have collected the evidence listed in the memo. This article is intended to generally educate the public—nothing in this article should be considered legal advice. Visit www.ailalawyer.com to find a list of lawyers in both Spanish and English.
 
Descargo de Responsabilidad: Este artículo fue escrito sólo para información. No es un sustituto de, ni constituye un consejo legal. Sólo un abogado que conozca los detalles específicos de su situación particular puede proporcionar asesoramiento legal. El objetivo aquí es darle información sobre las cuestiones legales que pueda enfrentar de las cuales debe ser consciente.

Indio Guerrero
The Indian Warrior
by: La Isla
"Cuando fui alcanzado por el IED (siglas en inglés para Artefacto Explosivo Improvisado) supe que mi vida cambiaría para siempre".
Estas no son las palabras que uno espera escuchar de un joven aspirante a músico. Hiram Torres, de 27 años de edad, alias Indio Guerrero, parece más una estrella de rap que un héroe de la guerra contemporánea, pero la historia de este nativo de Puerto Rico es todavía mucho mas. La historia de Torres no sólo es dolorosa sino también una prueba de que siempre hay mucho más en los seres humanos de lo que se ve a simple vista. Nacido en Ponce, Puerto Rico, Hiram recuerda haber crecido como hijo de un policía en una familia cariñosa pero estricta. Él dice que siempre fue una lucha no tener a su padre cerca.
"Tenía un trabajo duro, pero era un hombre de orgullo y siempre se las arregló para llevar comida a la mesa. Yo lo respeto por eso. "
Pero aún recuerda que lo más difícil de ser el hijo de un policía, era el constante temor de nunca saber si Papá volvería a casa. Aprender a manejar el miedo y la incertidumbre desde tan temprana edad le ha servido a Hiram en las dos cosas únicas en las que él dice que se destaca: la música y la milicia.
Torres se enlistó en el Ejército cuando tenía sólo 17 años. Por dos ocasiones prestó servicios en Irak, y durante la segunda vez fue alcanzado por un artefacto explosivo improvisado (IED) que casi lo mata. En la segunda guerra de Irak los IED se utilizaron ampliamente en contra de las fuerzas de la coalición y al final de 2007, esto se convirtió en la causa de aproximadamente el 63% de las muertes de la coalición. El joven soldado sobrevivió a su odisea con una bomba, pero sufrió una lesión cerebral que le provocó pérdida de la memoria y de la audición, así como algunos trastornos de estrés post-traumático. Él no piensa mucho en el trauma y dice que recuerda muy poco del incidente. Cuando se le preguntó acerca de sus experiencias en Irak, Torres de inmediato señaló lo obvio: "Nosotros tomamos muchas cosas como propias, pero la guerra cambia a una persona”. Las cosas que vi en la guerra me cambiaron”.
Cuando se le preguntó acerca de por fin regresar a casa después de estar en combate, él dice, "Creo que cualquiera que ha estado en la guerra sabe que nunca realmente vuelve a casa. Siempre hay esa parte de ti que se queda allí donde fuiste.”
Torres describe como un evento amargo, el hecho de dejar a sus compañeros en la guerra que se quedaban atrás junto con una gran parte de su propia identidad. Recibió la medalla de Corazón Púrpura, pero él no se jacta de ello. De hecho, nunca lo quiso mencionar en nuestra conversación con él. Él se concentra ahora en la familia, el estudio y la música.
"He estado cantando en frente de la gente desde que tenía cuatro años de edad. La música es mi pasión, siempre la ha sido. "
Hoy en día el músico, Indio Guerrero quiere que la gente sepa que su música es un reflejo de su proceso de convertirse de un chico que cantaba en las calles de Puerto Rico, a un soldado, un hijo y hermano, y ahora, a un esposo y padre. Vive en Pooler Georgia con su esposa y tres hijos. Él trabaja por las noches y asiste a la universidad de tiempo completo y escribe canciones, cientos de ellas. Produce su propia música y abre su estudio en casa a otros aspirantes a artistas para que puedan tener un lugar y los recursos para explorar también su pasión. Su nombre profesional es Indio Guerrero. El padre de Torres fue quien le enseñó que siempre ha llevado y siempre llevará ese indio guerrero en la sangre, que le ayudará a superar las dificultades en su vida. Es fácil ver a un guerrero en este joven, pero hoy él le da el crédito a sus hijos y familiares por la mayoría de sus triunfos.
"Ellos me abrazan cuando estoy triste y me animan cuando me está yendo bien. Me muestran lo que significa ser fuerte y salir adelante en todo lo que hago”. n
“When I got hit by the IED I knew that my life would be forever changed”.
These are not the words one expects to hear from a young aspiring musician. Hiram Torres, AKA Indio Guerrero, looks a lot more like a rap star than a war hero these days, but this 27 year old native of Puerto Rico is both and more. Torres’ story is not only poignant, but also proof that there is always much more to a human being than that which meets the eye. Born in Ponce Puerto Rico, Hiram remembers growing up as the son of a cop in a loving, but strict family. He says it was always a struggle to not have his father around much.
“He had a tough job, but he was a proud man and he always managed to put food on the table. For that reason I have respect for him.”
But he still recalls the toughest thing about being the kid of a cop; the constant fear of never knowing if dad was coming home. Learning to cope with fear and uncertainty from a very early age has served Hiram well in the only two things at which he says he excels: music and the military.
Torres enlisted in the Army when he was just 17. He served 2 tours in Iraq and during the second he was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) that nearly killed him. In the second Iraq War, IEDs were used extensively against coalition forces and by the end of 2007 they became responsible for approximately 63% of coalition deaths. The young soldier survived his ordeal with a roadside bomb, but sustained a brain injury which has caused memory and hearing loss as well as some post-traumatic stress disorder. He doesn’t dwell much on the trauma and says he remembers very little of the incident. When asked about his experiences in Iraq, Torres is quick to point out the obvious: “We take so many things for granted and war changes a person. The things I saw over there changed me”.
But when asked about finally coming home after being in combat he replied, “I think anyone who has been to war knows that you never really come home. There is always that part of you, who you were, that stays there.”
Torres describes leaving as a bittersweet event, filled with anxiety about letting down his fellow soldiers and leaving them along with a big part of his own identity behind. He received a Purple Heart, but he doesn’t boast about it. In fact, he never actually mentioned it in our conversation with him. He focuses now on family, studying and music.
“I’ve been singing in front of people since I was 4 years old. Music is my passion, always has been.”
Today the musician, Indio Guerrero wants people to know that his music is a reflection of his process of becoming a kid who sang in the streets of Puerto Rico, a soldier, a son, a brother and now a husband and father. He lives in Pooler, Georgia with his wife and three children. He works nights and attends college full time and writes songs, hundreds of them. He produces his own music and opens up his home-based studio to other aspiring artists so that they can have a place and resource to explore their passions too. His professional name, Indio Guerrero means Indian Warrior. Torres’s father was the one who taught him that he has always had and always would have the Indian Warrior in his blood, helping him overcome difficulties in his life. It is easy to see a warrior in this young man, but today he credits his kids and family with most of his triumphs.
“They hug me when I’m sad and they pat my back when I’m doing well. They show me what it means to be resilient in everything I do”.