Our Leaders
The residents who come to HART’s Leadership Development Training have one thing in common. They want to make a positive difference in Hartford’s quality of life. And, in their individual spheres of interests, many have. Arlene Angel, Vere Wynter and Mario Moreno are three good examples of Hartford residents who wanted to become involved in their community and who, as a result of the training they received, became influential in bringing about favorable changes.
La historia de Arlene Angel
Inicialmente, Arlene Angel se envolvió con HART a través del programa Caminando y Hablando. Ella es una inmigrante de México con Ingles limitado quien quería proveerle el mejor cuidado a sus dos niñas que podría. Arlene también estaba interesaba en cómo aprender a como advocar por sus niñas efectivamente en lo que navegan en el sistema escolar. Al estar comprometida con las sesiones de Caminando y Hablando, ella aprendió que HART también ofrecía entrenamiento de liderazgo para personas con preocupaciones acerca de los asuntos de racismo y discriminación—especialmente de un ángulo de derechos de inmigrantes, algo que Arlene en verdad le preocupa e interesa.
"Quería envolverme en buscar maneras de proteger los derechos de los inmigrantes viviendo aquí en Hartford," dijo Arlene atreves de un intérprete. Aunque temía el hablar en voz alta y no tenía confianza porque solo hablaba español, el entrenamiento que recibió permitió que trabajara con otros miembros del comité para desarrollar una presentación a las autoridades de Hartford que dice que los inmigrantes que reporten crimines no deben ser preguntados acerca de sus estatus.
Últimamente, ella y sus colegiados de HART hicieron su presentación en persona al Concilio de la Ciudad, el Jefe de la Policía, y el Alcalde. En respuesta a su argumento construido con cautela, el Concilio de la Ciudad de Hartford pasó unánime el estatuto "No Pregunte, No Reporte, No Arreste" el 11 de agosto del 2008. La ley histórica previene que la Policía de Hartford y los expedidores del 911, les pregunten de sus estatus legales o ilegales a personas que reporten crimines, fuegos, y otras emergencias. El Comité de Derechos del Inmigrante, del cual Arlene es miembro prominente, ha mantenido contacto con las autoridades de Hartford desde la causa de incrementar reportes de actividades criminales, y de proteger los inmigrantes que hacen los reportes. Por este exitoso avocamiento, otras comunidades de Connecticut están usando la ordenanza de Hartford como modelo para hacer sus propias pólizas. Arlene siente que HART la ha ayudado a vencer sus miedos acerca de hablar con voz alta, y por resultado, cree se ha convertido en una persona efectiva en advocar para su comunidad.
Arlene siente que HART la ha ayudado a vencer sus miedos acerca de hablar con voz alta, y por resultado, cree se ha convertido en una persona efectiva en advocar para su comunidad.
Arlene Angel's Story
Initially, Arlene Angel became involved with HART via the Walkers & Talkers program. She is an immigrant from Mexico with limited proficiency in English who wanted to provide the best guidance to her two children that she could. She was also interested in learning how to effectively advocate for them as they moved through the school system. While engaged in the Walkers & Talkers sessions, she learned from the program manager that HART also offered leadership training for people concerned about the issues of racism and discrimination -- especially from an immigrants rights angle which was something Arlene deeply cares about.
"I wanted to become involved in finding ways to protect the rights of immigrants living here in Hartford," Angel said through a translator. Even though she was fearful of speaking out and lacked confidence because she only spoke Spanish, the training she received allowed her to work with her fellow committee members to develop a presentation that made the case to Hartford authorities that those immigrants who report crimes should not be questioned about their status.
She and her HART colleagues ultimately delivered their presentation in person to the City Council, the Chief of Police and the Mayor. In response to their carefully constructed argument, the Hartford City Council unanimously passed the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Report, Don’t Arrest" statute on August 11, 2008. The historic law prevents Hartford Police and 911 dispatchers from asking people who report crimes, fires, and other emergencies if they are legal or illegal immigrants. The immigrant rights committee, of which Arlene is a prominent member, has maintained contact with Hartford authorities ever since with the dual cause of increasing the reporting of criminal activities and of protecting the immigrants who do the reporting. Because of this successful advocacy, several other Connecticut communities are now using the Hartford ordinance as a model for their own policy-making efforts in this area. Arlene feels that HART helped her overcome her fears about speaking out and, as a result, she believes that she has become an effective advocate for her community.
Vere Wynter's Story
About five years ago, a HART organizer knocked on Vere Wynter’s door. She explained to Vere that HART wanted to train new residents leaders in Hartford in order to make it a better community -- one that is more responsive to the wants and needs of the people who live in its neighborhoods. This struck a chord with him and he has been involved ever since. He learned in his training at HART that good community organizing involves taking on the issues that are most pressing to the community at any given time. While he had a special interest in traffic safety, he also became involved with the issues of immigrant rights, blight, and tenant - landlord relationships.
"The leadership training I received, in addition to my involvement with several different issues, gave me excellent experience in learning how to work together with other residents to solve community problems." Vere values the opportunities HART has given him to get to know more of his neighbors and to provide a forum where they can change local conditions. In March, he went on a one-day bus excursion with his HART colleagues to the Immigration Demonstration on the Mall in Washington D.C. "We wanted to understand the organizing principles and tactics of the national movement's leaders so that our efforts here in Hartford would be aligned." Vere said it was an exhausting but exhilarating day.
Vere and his wife have been married for 22 years and have three boys and a girl. Each Wynter child has been successful in and after school. After graduating from college, his oldest child now works as a television technician in Antigua, where Vere was born and raised. "My children are part of my wife's and my legacy -- and so are the positive community changes I have helped to bring about by working cooperatively with other involved residents here at HART."
Mario Moreno's Story
As a junior at Hartford Public High School’s Law and Government Academy, Mario Moreno heard about HART’s Youth Organizing Committee from his involvement with the school’s student council. “I heard that HART organized people who are committed to working together to jointly change community conditions for the better,” said Mario. "This is what we were trying to do at my school so I figured it was a perfect place for me to learn the organizing skills I needed to be a productive member of the student council."
While participating with HART’s Youth Organizing Committee, he worked with other Hartford youth to address issues such as improving the lunch menus to make sure they offer quality and healthy options, and creating after-school programs for teenagers. "I learned a lot of leadership skills such as getting people organized, running meetings and, most importantly, I learned that change is possible with the help of others if you can work together effectively."
Mario was elected president of his school's student council in his senior year and found that what he was learning at HART helped him accomplish the things he wanted to make happen during his term. Mario graduated in May and is heading to UConn in the fall. He’s grateful to HART for all the leadership skills he learned and for the many friends he made. "It was great to work with a group of young people from all over Hartford who care about their community. I was a little surprised by how much they actually care."
